Integra's School Daze
by Metropolis Kid
Summary: A young Integra is forced to go to school. Things go from bad to worse when someone else decides to tag along. Poor Integra. Please let me know what you think. Thanks. AU- combines elements from the Anime and Manga. Second half co-written with Ladykirie.
1. The New Roommate

**Integra's School Daze**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any material contained within this story. All copyrighted content remains the property of the person, people, or organization that holds the copyright. This story is solely for fun.

**AN**: Okay, I'm not really sure if this is a good idea or not; but it's been buzzing around my head for the last couple of weeks. So, I figured I'd put it down on paper, so to speak. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

**Prologue:**

"But, Walter, I don't want to go to school!" A fifteen year old Integra stomped her foot.

The butler sternly eyed the young Hellsing heir who was bordering on throwing a temper tantrum. "I'm sorry, Sir Integra. But you have to. You failed to gain any ground in your previous two standard achievement tests, and this year you actually lost a whole grade level."

"It's not my fault. I've learned so much in the last three years. It's just that none of it is ever on those stupid tests."

Walter couldn't keep a dry chuckle from escaping his mouth. "Well, of course not, Sir Integra. Not very many people need to learn how to shoot a pistol, fence, properly deploy troops or eliminate undead. And yes, your 'extended' education is coming along remarkably well, but you can't ignore the basics. Your reading, writing and arithmetic all have to, at least, be equivalent to your grade level. The Queen refuses to have some 'ignorant boob running the nation's best equipped, most secret and most important agency.' Her words, not mine. You have to have a proper education."

"But, Walter, I've never even been to a school before." The young girl sniffled and a single tear began to form in her eyes as she quietly continued. "Father taught me everything himself." The young Integra brought her sleeve up and wiped the tear away.

Walter bent down and hugged the girl. "I know. I miss him too." The butler softly patted the girl's back as he continued. "But, your father's gone, and someone has to teach you."

"Can't... Can't you teach me?"

Walter chuckled again. "While I appreciate your confidence, I'm afraid that it's been quite awhile since I was in school, and I never did finish, what with the war and all. While I've thoroughly studied English traditions and customs and could probably teach you a few things about World War II that aren't even in the history books, I'm afraid that the other areas of your education would suffer neglect. No. I am sorry, but you have to go to school. It really is the best thing for you."

"But... But does it have to be a boarding school?"

"Now, now. Gresham is a fine school, one of the best. It's curriculum is comprehensive, knowledgeable and beyond dispute. It has strong ties to the Church of England and even it's own combined cadet force. It's the perfect school for you. Trust me, once you get settled and make a couple of friends, you won't even want to come back for holidays."

Integra sighed. "Alright, Walter, I'll go." Integra paused for a moment then she rather definitively stated, "But I won't like it."

Walter smiled. Integra always had been a stubborn one.

**Chapter One: The New Roommate**

Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, got out of the limo and shielded her blue eyes from the sun's glare. It was quite an adjustment from the limo to the noon sun. After Integra's eyes adjusted, she grabbed her books and slung her backpack over one shoulder. Then she looked at a piece of paper and headed off the find her room.

As Integra tried to find the Britten house, she felt out of place and a little uncomfortable with all the students coming and going around her. She was not really use to this many teenagers, and as the distracted Hellsing heir continued on, she tripped over a partially exposed rock.

Integra fell flat on her face and her books went flying. A couple of students chuckled at 'the clumsy new girl' as they passed by. Integra picked herself back up. _Oh great, my first day and I'm going to be branded the class klutz. _Although, she was glad that her glasses were unbroken. Integra kneeled down and began to scoop up her books. Before she could reach the last one, someone else picked it up. "Hey that's mi-" Integra started before looking up and seeing what she thought to be a rather handsome boy with a long braid of red hair.

"I know, mon cherie. I was just trying to help out." The man clasped Integra's hand and helped her rise to her feet again, then he let go of her hand. "My name is Pip, Pip Bernadotte. Are you knew here?" Pip handed Integra her book.

Integra took the book. "Hum... Uh, I mean yes. Yes, I'm new here." Integra balanced her books with one hand and her other arm. The free hand reached out towards Pip. "I'm Integra. Pleased to meet you."

Pip shook the girl's hand. "Pleased to meet you too. Looking for your house?"

"Yes, um... I've got the paper here somewhere. Hold on a minute. Uh, yes. Here it is. Britten house!"

"Oh, that's right over this way." Pip smiled. "Come on." He started to walk, and Integra accompanied him. "It's one of the girl houses, so they won't let me in. But I can take you as far as the doorstep."

Pip led Integra around the school, and in about ten minutes, the two reached the Britten house. "Well, here you go, mon cherie. Britten house, just as I promised." A couple of other girls passed by. They called out Pip's name and waved. The redheaded boy with the French accent waved back before again turning to Integra. "Well, I'm sure you have some unpacking to do, what with it being your first day and all. But if you'd like a tour later, just let me know. I'm in the Tallis house, over that way." Pip pointed.

"Uh... okay. Sounds like fun."

Pip smiled again, before turning and walking away. Integra stared for the briefest of moments, then she shook her head and entered her house. She looked at her paper again and found her room number. "Room five." Shouldn't be too hard to find. Indeed it wasn't. Within another three minutes, Integra was standing in front of the door. She opened it, and walked inside. Integra flung the door shut behind her and continued on for a moment. But then, she heard a familiar voice.

"There you are, Master. I've been waiting."

Integra quickly turned. Her face took on a shocked expression, and the young knight again dropped her books as she saw just who had been 'waiting' for her. "Alucard! How did you get here?"

"Oh, Master, that's an easy one. I flew."

"Why?"

"Because you are my Master, of course. I need to remain close if I'm going to protect you."

"Protect me? Protect me from what? This is a school!"

"So was the Bath school house and the University of Texas, but look at what happened to them. Master, just because this is a school that doesn't mean that you're safe.

Integra growled, "Alucard." Before continuing in a slightly more normal tone. "I'm quite capable of taking care of myself."

Alucard looked his young master up and down, and Integra wasn't quite sure if he was actually appraising her combat potential or just using the situation as an excuse to check out her body. Either way, he soon stopped and shook his head. "Nope, sorry; but I'm afraid I'm going to have to stay and watch over you." Alucard leaned down so that his face was level with his Master's. He leered at her and asked, "So, how do you want to do the sleeping arrangements. Who's on top?"

Integra grimaced. "Alucard!!"

Alucard grinned widely at Integra's reply, but responded, "Master, I was referring to the top bunk." The Vampire pointed over at the bunk-bed. "I say we flip for it."

Integra couldn't quite decide if Alucard was genuinely worried about her safety, deliberately trying to annoy her or simply bored back at the mansion and looking for something to keep himself occupied. It could've even been a mixture of the three. "Look, Alucard, you can't stay here."

Alucard stared incredulously at his young master. "Why not?"

Integra did her best to control her temper. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "For one thing, this is a girl house. And you are not a girl."

"How do you know? I could be a girl if I had to."

Integra just stood there for a moment, her brain trying to process the completely incomprehensible reply. Integra pictured her nearly seven foot tall servant trying to fit into a fifteen year old girl's dress and blend in at the school. The mental image was positively laughable. And Integra would've laughed, if Alucard's face had held a toothy grin or any of the other tell tale signs that he was joking. However, the vampire's face gave off the distinct impression that he was completely serious in his statement.

Just as Integra decided that she must have misheard her 'pet' vampire, there was a knocking at her door. Alucard headed for the door; but as his hand reached for the knob, Integra ran over and swatted it away. She shook her head and pointed to the window. Alucard just shook his head back and grinned as an older sounding feminine voice came through the door. "Integra, It's Sally. I'm the house prefect. May I come in. I need to talk to you about something."

"Uh, just a minute! I'm, uh... changing!" Integra shouted through the door then locked it.

Alucard began, "No you'r-" Alucard was silenced by Integra stomping on the top of his foot.

"Integra, who's in there with you?"

"Uh, no one!" Integra looked angrily into her servant's eyes and whispered, "Get out." Alucard grinned, most likely enjoying the glare he was receiving from his master. He shook his head again.

On the other side of the door, Sally took out her key chain and began searching for the key to Integra's room. "Integra, I'm giving you to the count of three, and then I'm coming in. One."

Integra looked, almost pleadingly, at her servant. His grin just widened as he again shook his head.

"Two."

Integra mouthed a 'please.' Alucard, mouthed back a 'no'.

"Three. All right, that does it. I'm coming in."

With a trembling hand, Integra unlocked the door and flung it open just as Sally reached to insert her key. "Why Sally, so nice to meet you. What can I do for you?" Integra smiled, doing her best to look innocent and hoping that her house prefect wouldn't look behind the door.

Sally looked a little startled, but recovered quickly. She suspiciously eyed the young, innocent looking woman in front of her. "Everything okay, Integra?"

"Why, yes, of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you look like you're trying to hide something."

"What, me? Hide something? No way." Integra chuckled nervously.

"Yes." Sally replied suspiciously. "Well then, you won't mind if I come in and have a look around. Will you?" Integra didn't get a chance to answer as the older girl pushed past her and entered the room. She looked around, briefly, but couldn't find anything amiss. Then she turned back to Integra who had opened the door all the way and was still standing beside it. Sally's lip curled slightly. "And what, I wonder, could be behind that door." The house prefect headed for the door.

"What, nothing." Integra replied, but Sally obviously didn't believe her. The house prefect reached out and grabbed the door knob. "Wait, I can explain!" The young knight continued, but it did no good. Sally quickly pulled the door from the smaller girl; and as the older girl slammed it shut, Integra closed her eyes.

But then Sally's face fell into a confused expression. "Who are you?" She asked in a tone that caused Integra to open one eye.

The Hellsing heir couldn't believe it. Instead of an almost seven foot tall vampire wearing a large red coat and fedora hat, a seemingly fifteen year old, pale faced girl with raven black hair and a pill box hat was standing behind the door. The 'girl' extended 'her' hand and started to reply. "Hi, I'm Al-"

"Ison," Integra interrupted. "She's Alison. Alison, uh..."

"Vlad." The 'girl' stated, her hand still extended. "I'm Alison Vlad, and I'm Integra's replacement roommate." Alison extended her arm a little further, and Sally finally shook it.

"Replacement?" Integra asked.

"Yeah," Sally began. "that's what I came to talk to you about. It seems that Clair Keeply, your intended roommate, never showed up."

"Oh, that's too bad. I hope she's alright." Integra cast an accusatory glare at 'Alison'.

"Oh, I'm sure she's fine. Someone probably just convinced her to go to a different school." The other 'teenage girl' replied before turning back to Sally. "Well, if that's all, Integra and I have some unpacking to do."

"Of... Of course. I'll just be getting out of your way then." Sally stated, then went to reopen the door. Just as the older girl's hand touched the knob, though, she remembered something. "Wait a minute." Sally turned to Integra. "Didn't you say that no one else was in the room with you?"

"I-" Integra started.

Alison cut her off. "She meant, no one who wasn't suppose to be."

"Yes, yes, of course." Sally replied suspiciously. She cast Integra one final look that said 'I'm keeping an eye on you.', and then the house prefect exited the room.

Once Sally was gone, Alison promptly broke out into a fit of girlish laughter. "Oh, that was great. I think I'm going to like it here." Integra walked up and slapped her 'new roommate' upside the head. "Hey!" Alison responded before shifting back into Alucard. "What was that for?"

Integra let out a frustrated grunt. She turned and walked a few steps away before her curiosity overcame her anger. Integra turned back around and asked, "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That! That whole Alucard\Alison gender\age crossover thing."

"Oh, that." Alucard let out an amused chuckle as if such things were an every day occurrence. "It was nothing. I can change my shape into anything. The particular form I take... It means nothing to me."

Integra looked thoughtful for a moment.

Alucard summoned up a coin and rested it on his thumb. "Ready to flip for the top bunk?"

Integra huffed, reached down, grabbed her backpack, tossed it up to the top bunk then walked over and grabbed the ladder. She cast an authoritative look at Alucard and announced. "I'm on top." Then the mini-Hellsing flung her hair proudly and followed her backpack up.

Alucard sat down on the bottom bunk and whispered, "As you wish, Master." Alucard flicked the coin; and while in mid-air, it vanished in a mixture of black and gray smoke.

(Well, what did you think? I'm not sure if I want to add to this or make it a one-shot. Which do you think would work better?

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.


	2. Ground Rules

**Integra's School Daze**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**Chapter Two: Ground Rules**

Alucard, or rather Alison, (for the vampire was once again in his fifteen year old girl form) had been up all night. Such was the norm for vampires, but 'she' had actually tried several times to go to sleep. The vampire knew that, as a student, 'she' would also have to be up most of the day; and 'she' reasoned that, in order to keep up 'her' charade, 'she'd' have to eventually adapt to a non-nocturnal lifestyle. However, such an adjustment would take time; so Alison had spent a very boring night lying in bed and watching the numbers change on the digital clock. At 7:00 A.M., 'she' finally decided that it was time to wake 'her' master.

Alison stood on 'her' bunk and shook Integra's shoulder. "Master, it's time to wake up." The young Hellsing just moaned and rolled away from the disturbance. Alison frowned, but then 'her' face twisted into an evil smile. The mini vampire floated up to the top bunk and laid next to 'her' master. Then 'she' opened 'her' mouth and placed 'her' teeth lightly against the young blond's throat. Alison was careful to first retract 'her' fangs to insure that there would be no accidental penetration. 'She' didn't want to turn the young Hellsing into one of the undead. At least, the vampire had no intention of doing something like that without the Hellsing's approval. 'She' respected 'her' master too much to force such a thing on her. But, that didn't mean that the vampire couldn't have a little fun.

Having moved into position, Alison reached out through the mental connection 'she' shared with 'her' master. A voice invaded Integra's dreamless sleep. "Aw, Master, your blood smells so sweet. How about letting me have a little taste?" The question was accompanied by Alison's tongue flicking over Integra's exposed neck.

Integra's reaction was both instantaneous and instinctive. She screamed, "Arhhh!", bolted up and hit her head on the ceiling. Then she rubbed her head and turned to see her 'pet' vampire lying next to her.

Integra began to hit Alison and shouted, "What the bloody Hell do you think you're doing?! Get out of my bed!!" The shouting was so loud that everyone else in the house heard it; and not more then three minutes later, Sally burst through the bedroom door.

The house prefect had a wooden bat, firmly grasped in her hands and struck a pose halfway between an olden days Man at Arms and a major league slugger. "All right, Frenchy! I warned you before. Now you're going to get a real beat... Huh?" Sally looked around, but the only thing she saw was Integra sitting on the top bunk, panting, and Alison, seemingly, still asleep on the bottom. Sally turned to Integra. "Alright, what's going on? Who was in your bed?"

"What? Oh, that. I was just having a nightmare."

"A nightmare? Really?" Sally asked, unconvinced. She lowered her bat and used it to poke Alison. When the 'girl' stirred, Sally asked 'her', "Did you see a boy in here?"

Alison innocently replied, "A boy? But this is a girl's house. I thought boys weren't allowed."

"They're not." Sally replied sternly. "But we've had some troubles in the past, particularly with that foreign student Integra was seen with yesterday. Are you sure you didn't see anything?"

"Sorry, I'm afraid I was asleep." Alison lied.

"You slept through all that screaming? Integra woke up the whole house." Sally probed.

Alison imitated a sheepish grin. "I'm afraid I'm deaf in one ear. I must've been sleeping on the other." Alison faked an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry, but I hope you catch the pervert."

"Y-e-s." Sally eyed the 'girl' suspiciously. " Well, I sure hope your not trying to cover for someone." Sally cast an accusing glare up at Integra before looking back down at Alison. "You seem to be a good girl, and I'd hate for you to fall in with the wrong crowd."

"I'm sorry, Prefect Sally, but I'm afraid that I really didn't see anyone."

Sally sighed and rested her bat on her shoulder. "Alright, I guess I'll be going then." On her way out, the prefect cast another glare at Integra before closing the door.

As soon as Alison's vampiric senses told 'her' that the prefect was out of ear shot, 'she' got out of 'her' bunk and turned to look at 'her' master. "Oh, yes, Master. You're a terrible influence on a 'good girl' like me. Having boys in your bed, shame on you." The vampire broke out into another fit of girlish laughter.

Integra descended from the top bunk and again slapped her 'pet' vampire upside the head. "Don't you ever do something like that again. If you do, I swear..."

"And swearing too. What a bad, bad girl you are."

Integra raised her hand again, but she noticed a mischievous glint in Alison's eyes. _Sicko, probably likes it when I slap him._ So Integra slowly brought her hand back down to her side and sternly replied, "I'm your master, and I'm ordering you to never invade my mind, wake me up or... or lick me again!"

"Oh, but, Master, what if I have permission?"

"And why would I ever give you permission for one of those?" Integra asked through clenched teeth.

Alison brought a finger up to 'her' chin in a mock thoughtful pose. "Well, suppose you were to become injured and were bleeding out. I could stop the blood loss and sterilize the wound by licking it."

"You... You can do that?" Integra asked, her naturally curious nature momentarily surpassing her rage.

Alison laughed, "Oh, Master, there is sooo much you do not know about me."

Integra sighed. "Fine. If I give **explicit** permission."

"Yes, Master. Will that be all?"

"No, Alucard..."

"Alison," the vampire interrupted, "while I'm in this form, you should refer to me as Alison. We must keep up appearances, right, Master?"

"If we're 'keeping up appearances', you should not be calling me 'Master'." Integra countered.

"Oh, but I would only do that when we're alone. I can sense everyone around us, and no one is within hearing distance. You, on the other hand, are a mere human. Someone could easily sneak up on you."

"It would not be so easy." Integra replied before sighing again and conceding, "Though, I suppose you **may** have a point, A-l-i-s-o-n." Integra turned, put a foot on the bottom bunk and used it to artificially boost her height. She grabbed her back pack off of the top bunk and jumped back down. From the back pack, the young Hellsing removed her note book and a pen. She went over to the room's desk and quickly began writing.

After a moment, Alison moved behind Integra and peaked over her shoulder. "Whatcha writing?"

"A list of rules." Integra replied curtly before tearing the page out of her notebook and shoving it into her 'pet' vampire's chest. "Read them. Memorize them. And obey them, or I'll call up Walter, have him come down, hog tie you with his 'dental floss of death', drag you back to the mansion and seal you back up in the cell I found you in. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly, Master." Alison smiled, and Integra huffed as she left to go take her morning shower. However, Alison's smile began to fade as 'she' started to read the list.

Rules for School:

1. No shape-shifting when others can see you.

2. No hypnotizing people.

3. No, ABSOLUTELY no 'feeding' on people! Call up Walter, and have him start sending you blood packets.

4. I know you can't help what you are, but no being deliberately scary... or creepy... or anything else that would make the other students go screaming into the night.

5. I really shouldn't have to say this what with the no shape-shifting rule, but just in case, keep your fangs hidden around others.

6. No picking fights.

7. No harassing the clergy or manufacturing signs of the Apocalypse.

8. No blasphemy.

9. No 'old war stories'.

10. You must maintain at least a C average.

11. No telling people your a vampire. Really, I shouldn't even have to put this one down, but just in case.

12. More will follow as you will inevitably find new ways to make my life miserable.

Catch 22. If you do anything that isn't covered by one of the other rules, I've got you with this one. Haha!

_Oh really, Master, how do you expect me to have any fun with rules like this?_ Alison snorted. _Guess she knows me a little bit better than I thought._

(Well, I hope you liked the second chapter. Please review and let me know what you think thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

(To Prince of Shadow: Oh, okay. I guess I'll do some more. LoL. Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoyed the second chapter as much as the first.

To Hannah: Thanks for the review. Well, I still haven't completely made up my mind on the parings, but I have added some more. I hope you liked it.)


	3. Math Class

**Integra's School Daze**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**Chapter Three: Math Class**

Integra entered her first classroom and looked around. 'Alison' was only a few steps behind, and Integra had to be quick. She knew that her servant would try to sit next to her, and that was something that the mini-Hellsing did not want. For one thing, she knew Alison would inevitably find some way to annoy her. For another, trying to keep tabs on the vampire would be a constant distraction. And Integra was at the school to improve her normal education, not babysit her 'pet' vampire.

Integra quickly scanned the room and found an empty desk, one that was already completely surrounded by occupied ones. The young night immediately rushed over and sat down, just barely beating out another girl. The other girl stared at Integra for a moment, obviously trying to figure out why having that particular desk was so important to her. Integra smiled at the other girl, and after shrugging her shoulders as if to say, 'fine, whatever', the other girl headed for a different desk.

Alison entered the room just as Integra began to set up. The vampire looked around and a small, but noticeable look of disappointment passed over her face as she saw that there were no open desks near her master. Integra saw this, and her lip curled ever so slightly. It was a small victory, but any victory over her 'pet' was a rare and immensely pleasing thing.

Not one to be easily deterred, Alison walked right up to the small cluster of desks. "Um, excuse me, but would one of you mind switching seats?"

One of the students looked up. "What difference does it make where you sit?"

"Well, Integra's my roommate, and I'd like to sit next to her."

The girl behind Integra began to stand. "Here, you can have my seat."

Alison smiled. "Well, thank..."

"Not!" The girl sat back down, and the small group broke out laughing.

There was a small glint of red in Alison's eyes, and Integra knew that her 'pet' was about to slip her leash. The knight gave the vampire a stern look and was rewarded by Alucard's voice speaking into her head. _Oh, Master, please? She's got it coming._

_No, Alucard. If you want to stay in school with me, you're going to have to obey your rules._

_But... But... Oh, fine, Master._ Alison walked by the very rude little girl and took the seat behind her. However, the battle was not over yet. No, Vlad Draculea was not one to be so easily defeated. This was not a retreat, just an advance to the rear while the ancient vampire planned a counter attack.

Alison sat there for a moment and ran through her options. _Let's see: n__o hypnotizing people; no 'feeding' on people; no being deliberately scary... or creepy... or anything else that would make the other students go screaming into the night;__ n__o picking fights. Master, you really didn't leave me with very many options._

As Alison sat there, her angry gaze was fixated on the back of the rude girl's head. It was then that the vampire noticed something she could use, the hair! Women, most women, cared so much about how their hair looked. Even Integra wasn't completely beyond that vanity. And this... this very rude girl, seemed to care more than most. Her almost flaming red hair had a brilliant shine to it; and, even with Alison's third eye, the vampire could not detect a single split end.

Alison smirked, and beneath the girl mask Alucard laughed. Then, faster then could be seen by human eyes, the vampire attacked the rude girls head. Alison was careful with her cuts. It wouldn't do to pierce the scalp. The vampire moved so fast and lightly that the rude girl didn't feel a thing. In the blink of an eye, the rude girl was completely bald, save for one last lock of long, red hair, that the vampire had deliberately left to remind the girl of her former glory.

Having accomplished her task, Alison just waited; and she did not have to wait long. Within five seconds a student's stray glance caught sight of the girl's 'new look'. The boy's jaw dropped. He pointed and exclaimed, "What... What the..."

The rude girl looked at the boy arrogantly. "And what, exactly, is your problem."

"Your... h-hair." The boy replied and then started laughing.

"And just what is so amusing about my..." The girl's hands immediately went to her scalp, and then there was a high pitched wailing sound. Tears formed in the girl's eyes, and she ran, crying, from the class room.

A smirking Alison casually hummed and took the now vacant seat behind her master. Integra glared at her mischievous 'pet' vampire. The vampire responded with a mental, _What?_

_Don't even try that innocent act. I know what you did!_

_Oh, you mean that little hair cut?_

_Yes, Alucard, 'that little hair cut'. Did you forget about your rules?_

_Why no, Master, of course not. You just reminded me of them a couple of minutes ago. But I went over the list, and you know what? It didn't say anything about cutting someone's hair._

_What about the part about not making people run away screaming?_

_But, Master, she wasn't screaming. She was crying. There is a difference, you know. Besides, the rule clearly states 'into the night' and the sun's up. _Integra heard Alucard's dark chuckling in her head.

_Well, I've still got you with catch twenty-two._

_I can't argue with that one, Master; but catch twenty-two isn't really a rule. All it does is give you the right to get upset with me._ The vampire paused before continuing, _And I do so love to see you angry._

Integra sighed, turned back so that she was facing the head of the class, and plopped her head down on the desk. No matter what, Alucard would always find some way to make her life more difficult.

Integra's head stayed down for a few minutes, while the young knight continued to bemoan her fate; but it came back up as the teacher entered the room. "Hello. My name is Professor Mortease, and I will be your mathematics teacher this year." Mortease turned to the blackboard, and Integra thought that the man was going to write out his name. But instead, he wrote out a very long algebraic problem, one that Integra could only grasp the most basic parts of. Mortease turned back to the class. "Now, students, this problem will stay on the blackboard until the end of the year, and only those students who are able to answer it will pass this class."

If Integra was confused by the problem, her 'pet' vampire was completely lost. Alucard's voice cut into Integra's head._ Master, in my day, math dealt with numerical equations._

_Yes, Alucard, your point?_

_Well, what's with all the letters?_

_What am I, your tutor? Read your text book, and find out for yourself. _The truth was, Integra didn't know what the letters meant either, but there was no way she was going to admit her ignorance to her 'pet'. So instead, the young knight cut the connection and retreated back inside her own head.

Ah, but the vampire was persistent. Alucard continued to question Integra; and when the mini-Hellsing refused to respond to Alucard's mental nudging, Alison began to tap Integra on the shoulder. _Master? Master? Master?_

At first, Integra tried to ignore the pestering, but that was a mistake. Her anger just built up until she turned in her chair and shouted, "Stop poking me!"

The whole class turned to stare at Integra and Alison. Mortease walked over to the two desks. He checked his clip board and looked at Integra. "Miss Hellsing are you and..." There was a brief pause as the professor checked his clipboard again. "Miss Vlad having a problem with each other?"

"No, Sir. We were just discussing the problem you wrote on the blackboard." Alison answered before her master could reply.

"Really?" Mortease crossed his arms in front of his chest. "And just what, exactly, were you discussing about it?"

"Well..." Alison looked at Integra. The young knight stared pleadingly at her 'pet', begging the vampire to not say anything that would make the situation worse. However, Alison turned back to the professor and continued, "We were just wondering why you put up such an easy problem." Integra buried her head in her hands.

"Really? So, my problem's too easy?" Alison nodded. "Well then, perhaps the two of you would like to go up front and solve it."

Alison smiled. "We'd be happy to." Mortease smiled back, turned and walked back to the blackboard. Alison got out of her chair and, seemingly without a care in the world, followed behind the professor. Integra hung her head and slowly trailed the other two.

Mortease handed the two girls each a piece of chalk, made a mock bow and motioned to the blackboard. Alison took the chalk and mentally reached into the professor's head. After all, hypnosis was against the rules but not mind reading. In less time than it takes to tell, the vampire found the problem's answer. Of course, she still had no idea how to actually solve the problem. Delving deep enough to discover that would've taken more time than simply retrieving the correct answer, and the vampire did not want to pause long enough to appear suspicious. It would've ruined everything. So, having retrieved the answer, Alison turned to the blackboard and quickly finished the equation.

The professor's jaw dropped. "How... How did you know that?"

Alison let out a short burst of girlish laughter. "Come now, as I said, it's 'such an easy problem.'"

Mortease seemed to, somewhat, recover from his shock. His voice now carried a note of approval. "Indeed. Well, it seems I was wrong you two. You know, I also teach an advanced course, and I'd like to transfer you both into it."

"Oh, that's not necessary." Integra was quick to reply.

Mortease let out a good natured chuckle. "Ah, but it is. Gifted minds like yours need to have the proper challenges and stimulation that only a more advanced class can offer."

"But, but..."

"Come now, I insist."

Integra couldn't see any way out. She sighed and slumped her shoulders. _Great, just great. And Math was one of the subjects I scored the lowest in._ Integra turned and glared at her 'pet', but Alison just kept on smiling.

(Well, I hope you liked the third chapter. Please review and let me know what you think thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)


	4. Lunch Break

**Integra's School Daze**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**Lunch Break**

Integra set her tray down and took her seat. She let out a small sigh as 'Alison' claimed the seat directly across the table. After the little 'incident' in math class, the young knight had given up on trying to allude her 'pet' vampire. Perhaps out of gratitude, Alison hadn't done anything to get them pushed into any more advanced classes, and Integra was glad for, at least, that. One advanced class was **more** than enough as far as the mini-Hellsing was concerned.

Integra looked down at her tray and eyed the food much like she would size up a potential enemy. The mini-Hellsing had never eaten cafeteria food before, but she had heard stories, horrible, gruesome, disgusting stories. The young knight cut away a small piece of her chicken and tentatively jabbed her fork into it.

Integra began to raise the food up to her mouth, but she hesitated for a moment. The mini-Hellsing who was accustomed to only the finest foods, specially prepared by her own, private chef, really didn't want to find out if the stories were true. But then the young knight felt her servant's gaze upon her. Unwilling to show any weakness in front of her pet, Integra screwed up her courage and popped the morsel of chicken into her mouth.

Integra's face took on a thoughtful expression as she tested out the taste of the new concoction. After a moment of chewing and moving the food around in her mouth, the young knight decided that the rumors of it's horror had been greatly exaggerated. The food couldn't compare to what the girl was use to from the mansion, but it also wasn't the soul stealing slop that a lot of TV programs made it out to be.

Having successfully conquered her own lunch, Integra sat up and fixed her servant with a hard glare, an unspoken challenge between the two. Not one to be out done, Alison stabbed her chicken, flicked it up into the air, and, in a move that reminded Integra of a snake eating a gopher, the vampire opened her mouth and swallowed it whole. Then Alison lowered her face to glare back at her master.

Integra seemed a little deflated, but then her expression began to brighten as the vampire's pale face took on a green tint. "What's wrong, can't stomach the food?"

At first, Alison tried to bluff her way through, "Oh no. It was fi-" But then, the vampire's hand went up to her mouth. She gagged as she attempted to keep the food down, but it was all in vain. Less then a minute after swallowing the chicken, it forced it's way back up and poured from the vampire's mouth.

Integra shrieked as her servant threw up. Then a concerned, if brief, expression passed over the young knight's face. "Hey, are... are you okay? Do... do you need to see the nurse or something?" As much as Integra relished any victory over her pet, she still cared about the vampire. After all, Alucard had saved her life, and he'd been hanging around her for the past three years. The mini-Hellsing just couldn't help but feel some empathy for her loyal, if annoying, servant. She wanted to best her 'pet' not endanger the vampire's health.

Alison gulped, looked up at her master, then looked back down in apparent embarrassment and shame. _No, I'm fine. The chicken was just too well done._

_You threw up because it was too well done?_

_My body isn't like your's. I can't harvest nutrients from the meat, only the blood. If something is cooked too much, my body rejects it._

_Oh... I didn't know._

_Master, there is much you do not know about me._

_It was pretty stupid of you to swallow the whole thing if you didn't know whether you could stomach it or not._ Alison's only response was a sheepish grin. Integra continued, _Well, if you haven't already, call up Walter and have him start shipping you blood packets._

_Yes, Master. But... _Alison stood up. _If you'll excuse me for a little while, I'd like to get some fresh air._

_Fine, but be careful that you don't melt in the sunlight._ Integra half-teased her pet.

_Master, are you worried about me?_ Alucard's disembodied voice teased back.

_Hardly, _Integra huffed. _It'd just be difficult to explain if my roommate suddenly burst into flames and dissolved into a pile of ash._

Integra heard Alucard's dark chuckling. _Don't worry, Master. Sunlight is not one of my weaknesses... I __just hate it. _And with that, Alison picked up her tray, dumped the contents down the nearist trash can and headed out of the cafeteria.

Integra sat alone for a couple of minutes, but then she saw the boy who had helped her the day before. He was holding his tray and looking around the cafeteria. He looked at her; and for a moment, just a moment, their eyes locked. The boy smiled and walked over to Integra's table. "Excuse me, Mon Cherie, but is anyone sitting here?"

Integra smiled back, "Not right now."

"Good." Pip sat down next to the young knight. He stared intently at her face for a moment. "You know out of all the new students, you are by far the prettiest."

Integra lowered her head and tried to hide a slight blush.

"Oh, come now, Mon Cherie. I haven't embarrassed you, have I? Doubtless a pretty, young girl like yourself has received many such compliments."

"You... you'd be surprised."

"Oh?" Pip asked, a certain intrigue obvious in his voice. The Frenchman could not understand how he could be the first to compliment the girl on her looks.

"I've... I've been homeschooled my whole life. It makes meeting people my age... difficult."

"Ah, so that's it, huh? Well, if you're ever feeling lonely..." Pip reached over and cupped the bottom of Integra's chin. He gently lifted her face so that they were once again staring into each other's eyes. "Just call on old Pip. I'd be glad to keep you company." Pip smiled again, and Integra responded with another blush. "Speaking of which, have you given any thought to taking me up on my offer from the other day?"

Integra just stared at Pip, obviously not understanding what he was talking about.

Pip must've noticed Integra's confusion, for he prompted, "The tour?"

"Oh yes." _With everything that's been going on, I'd completely forgotten. _

"Well... What have you decided? I'm free today; well, after my classes end."

Integra stopped and thought for a moment. "You know, according to my house prefect, you have quite a reputation."

Pip recoiled slightly. It was never a good sign when a girl brought up his reputation. "Ah, well. Most of that's just gossip. Half the stories aren't even true."

"Then..." Integra began slowly, "I assume the tricky part is figuring out which half are." She smiled coyly.

Pip grinned back at her. "I'm not going to lie to you, Mon Cherie. I've dated what... Well, what some consider to be more than my fair share of girls, and I'm sure you could find more than a few people on campus who would label me a 'womanizer'. But, I've never lied to or cheated on a girl I was dating. If I'm going out with more than one at a time, I'm always up front about it. Regardless of what anyone might say, I'm not a two timer nor do I try to pressure a girl into something she's not ready for."

"Well then, Mr. Upfront and Honest, how many girls are you currently dating?"

"Two." Pip replied without missing a beat. "One's a senior named Kreia, and the other's red head named Mira."

Integra looked away for a moment. "So, I'd be competing with two other girls, huh?"

Pip sighed and started to get up from the table, but then Integra reached out and placed her hand atop his. The Frenchman stared down at the young knight with a puzzled expression.

Integra responded, "I don't mind a little competition."

Pip smiled, "That's a very... mature attitude." He sat back down. "So... about that tour later?"

"One question first. I told you my name when we first met. Do you remember it?"

"Y-e-s."

"Good. Than what is it?"

"Ah, Mon Cherie, that's two questions." Pip joked; but after receiving a glare, he continued, "But, I-I'll answer it anyway. Yesterday, you dropped your books. I picked one up and handed it back to you. We shook hands, and you told me that your name was Integra." Pip wore a roguish smile. "Come now, Mon Cherie, you didn't really think I'd forgotten your name, did you?"

Integra smiled back. "My last class ends at four. Meet me in front of the Britten house at five."

* * *

**Meanwhile, outside:**

Alison had been walking around for a good five minutes, and she still wasn't quite sure if the fresh air was doing any good. It was true that she loved the outside air. After being sealed up in a below ground cell for twenty years, anyone would; but she also hated the sun. If it had been nighttime, she'd have been much happier while taking her little stroll. Unfortunately, for the vampire, her classes were during the day, so the walk really wasn't helping to settle her stomach much. What she really needed was something to wash the disgusting taste of well done chicken from her mouth. It was then that the vampire turned a corner and saw a black cat emerge from the dumpster that was behind the cafeteria. Alison ran over her rules again, particularly rule three. _"__No, __ABSOLUTELY__ no 'feeding' on __**people**__!" Well,_ Alison smirked, _cats aren't people, now are they._

The vampire squatted down and began to curl her finger in a 'come here motion'. "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Here kitty, kitty..."

(Well, I hope you liked the fourth chapter. Please review, and let me know what you think. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

* * *

(To Crazy Queen of Toast: I'm glad that you're still enjoying this and think it's "awesome". I hope you got as big a kick out of this as the other three chapters. I'm not so sure about naming a teacher Abraham Van Helsing; but I do like the gym class idea. I'll porbably use that... or a variation of it, maybe a swimming class or a sports team. I really don't know yet, but the idea of 'Alison' compeatling in a phiscal contest with the rest of her class has a lot of comic potential. Well, anyway, thanks for the sugestions. I hope you continue to enjoy this.)


	5. The Bully and a New Friend?

**Integra's School Daze**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**The Bully and a New Friend?**

**AN:** I'm updating a little early because I'm going on a two week trip tomorrow.

'Alison' no sooner got her fangs into the cat's throat then she heard a clamor above her head. The vampire looked up just in time to see a rather wimpy looking boy being hoisted out of the second story window. The boy was upside down, and a much larger boy had him firmly grasped by the ankles.

Alison watched in morbid fascination as the larger boy spewed out insults at the smaller one and berated the 'lousy' job that the smaller boy had done on his bully's homework. The smaller boy pleaded and apologized profusely, but the bully just laughed and released his grip on the smaller boy's ankles.

The small boy screamed as he plummeted straight at the dumpster below him and impacted the soft trash with a squishing sound. The bully shook his head then seemed to finally notice that he had an audience. "Hey, you with the cat!"

It was then that the vampire remembered what she was doing and quickly moved the animal behind her back. Alison doubted that the bully could've seen the red puncture marks from where he was, but better safe than sorry. The bully seemed to have other things on his mind though. "You didn't see nothing. Understand?" The bully's voice carried a threatening tone; and had the circumstances been different, the vampire would've taken immense pleasure in scaring the teenager shitless... or maybe doing something a bit more 'permanent', to someone who would **dare** threaten her. However, the circumstances were what they were, so Alison merely nodded her head in agreement.

"Good." And with that the bully ducked back inside and closed the window.

There was a rumbling in the dumpster, and the small boy groaned as his arm flopped over the side.

Alison, realizing that this boy was climbing out of the dumpster and would be close enough to see just what she'd been doing to the cat, quickly flung the small beast away. It let out an amusing feline wine as it spiraled through the air and collided with the wall of a (not too far away) building.

The boy finally managed to climb out of the dumpster. He groaned, dropped to the tar below, looked at himself and let out a pitiful grunt as he began a vain attempt to brush the refuse from his body.

Not really caring about the small weakling, but being a naturally curious creature, Alison asked, "What was all that about?"

The boy turned, looked at the 'girl' to his right and proceeded to babble incoherently for a moment. Then he started to wheeze. As the boy fumbled for something in his pocket, Alison crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised an eyebrow at the strange sight. "Are you going to die?" She asked in a completely neutral tone.

The boy shook his head as he pulled a funny shaped object from his pocket, brought it up to his mouth, pushed down on a part of it and inhaled deeply. "N-no. I'm fine. Just needed my inhaler." The boy paused and looked at the 'girl' again. "Uh, what was it you asked me?"

"I asked you, what all that was about. Why'd the other boy drop you into the garbage?"

The boy waved. "Oh, that. That's just Lance Dilan. He's on the rugby team. Total Jock, thinks he's king of the school, and the rest of us are just here to do his bidding. He didn't like the fact that the report I did for him got a lower grade than the one I did for myself. Really unfair. The guy can barely keep his 'C' average. You'd think he'd be happy with a 'B+'." The boy held out his hand. "I'm Steve, Steve Eberts."

Alison shrugged then shook the boy's hand. "Alison Vlad."

"Vlad? That's a strange name. You know there was once a Romanian prince with that name. Course it was his first name, not last."

"Really?" Alison asked, a bemused smile on her face.

"Yeah, we learned all about him in history class. **Scary individual**. Definitely not the kind of person you'd want to meet in a back alleyway."

"Or, behind a school cafeteria?" Alison asked, then smirked.

The boy chuckled. "No, I suppose not there either. He liked to impale people, especially through the rear. Drove a stake right through them and left them there to die. Sometimes, the stake would act as a plug to prevent blood loss. Some of his victims hung there for three days before they finally died!"

"Interesting." Alison replied, and the boy missed the mischievous flash in the vampire's eyes. After a brief pause, she switched subjects. "So, any particular reason this... Lance character singled you out?"

"Nah, not really. He pretty much goes after anyone who fits his definition of a geek."

"A geek?" Alison asked. As far as she knew, a geek was a circus performer who bit the heads off of live chickens. The boy before her just didn't seem the type.

"Basically if you wear glasses or carry a pocket protector and are smart enough to pull in 'A's or get put in an advanced class."

Alison nodded, finally understanding the new definition of geek. Then something clicked in her head. _Wait a minute. Glasses. Advanced class. Master! _

The boy looked down at his watch and whined, "Oh, man. If I'm late for gym class again, Coach is going to kill me!"

_Gym? Yes, Gym. That's Master's next class. _The boy sighed and started to trudge off. Alison ran up and grabbed his wrist. "Quick where's the gym?!"

"Uh, it's over that way." The boy pointed and Alison took off, towing the kid behind her in case she needed further direction.

Alison and Steve managed to burst into the gym just as the coach was starting roll call. The Coach eyed his two late arrivals, but said nothing. Alison smiled and started to walk over to her master, leaving Steve to wheeze heavily as he took multiple shots from his inhaler.

When Alison reached her master, the knight began, "I was wondering what kept you." Then Integra paused and smirked. "But I see you just made a new friend."

Alison returned her master's smirk. "Oh, yes. Guess I just lost track of time. We were discussing an ancient Romanian prince who use to impale his victims. Seems he and I share a name." Alison giggled.

Integra raised an eyebrow. "And what did your... 'new friend' think of this... Romanian 'prince'?"

"He thought that the prince was a 'scary individual'." Alison flashed her master a toothy grin.

"Ahuh." Integra paused. "Just remember rule three."

"Oh, of cour..."

Alison was interrupted by the coach's shouting. "Alright, everyone, line up! It's time for the rope climb!"

Integra, being knew to the school, simply walked over to the rope and firmly grasped it in both hands. The bully who had dropped Eberts out of the second story window walked up behind her. He tapped the knight on her shoulder. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

Integra turned. "Climbing the rope." She replied, her expression puzzled.

The boy let out an aggravated groan. "What's your last name?"

Integra looked even more confused, but she answered anyway. "Hellsing, why?"

To Integra's surprise, it was the coach who replied. "In this class we do things the military way, alphabetical by last name."

The bully growled, "So, get out of the way, Four Eyes."

Alison bared her teeth, and they started to elongate, slightly. She began to stalk up behind the bully. _How dare he insult my master! I'll tare him limb from limb, keep him alive just long enough to watch me rip out and eat his liver!_

And she would've to, but Integra firmly grasped the arm of her advancing 'pet'. The knight brought her lips near the vampire's ear and whispered, "Remember your rules."

Alison turned to stare at her master. _After what he did to you? Master, you cannot expect me to tolerate someone disrespecting you so._

Integra locked eyes with her servant._ I expect you... to obey my orders. _

Alison probed her master's face looking for any doubt, any uncertainty, anything that would give her an excuse to act out one of the fantasies swirling around in her head; but it was no use. Her master refused to flinch, and Alison was forced to, begrudgingly, back down. _Very well, Master. I will be a 'good pet'. I will follow my rules._

_Good. _Integra broke the staring contest. After all, she'd already won, right? The knight looked away, and the vampire's lip curled ever so slightly.

Alison moved next to the rope. The bully had already rung the bell and was halfway back down. The vampire watched with nothing but contempt for the boy. _I wonder what exactly 'picking fights' covers._

The bully reached the bottom of the rope, and the coach stopped his watch. "Time, eight point fifty-two seconds. Excellent! Only one point three-seven seconds shy of the school record. Dilan, my boy, one of these days I just know you'll break it."

"Thanks, Coach." The boy grinned.

Alison tugged on the coach's shirt. The middle-aged, slightly over-weight man looked down. Alison brought her foot back and lightly kicked at the floor in a mock shy manor. "Can I go next, please?" Alison faked a half pout, and the coach's heart nearly broke. He looked over at the rope. "Hey, Eberts!"

The red-haired, freckle faced 'geek' looked over at the coach. "Yes, Sir?"

"Let the lady have a try."

"Oh, yes, Sir!" The non-athletic kid was more than willing to take any chance he got to postpone his turn at the rope.

The coach motioned to the rope. "It's all yours, hon."

Alison smiled sweetly. "Thank you ever so much." She walked over to the rope and lightly grasped it with both hands. The vampire waited for the coach to start his watch then proceeded to scale the rope with, literally, inhuman speed. She didn't even bother to use her legs. The vampire just let them dangle freely as she pulled on the rope, exerting all the effort that a human would use to pull one across the ground. In less than two seconds, the vampire had scaled the fifteen feet. She rung the bell, then simply released the rope and plummeted back to the ground. The vampire fell fast but managed to land with no more force than a feather slowly drifting to the ground.

Alison turned her head, ignoring the dropped jaws of the other students, and looked at the coach. "Well, did I break the record?"

The coach shook his head. He'd forgotten all about the record. In deed, the man had completely forgotten that he was even suppose to be timing the rope climb. The coach quickly stopped his watch, and looked at it. Even with the coach's stalled response time, the display only read three point one-four seconds. "Did you break it?" The coach asked before pausing for a moment. "No, you didn't 'break' it. You shattered it into a million pieces!"

Alison smiled, "Oh, Coach, you give me too much credit. It was nothing..." The vampire turned to find Dilan's face then smirked. "Nothing, at all." That did it. Alison saw the boy's surprised face give way to one of rage and envy.

It was doubtful that the boy would attempt anything in the gymnasium. The tide had already turned against him. The crowd loved their new record holder. No, even an idiot would know that he wouldn't get away with anything right then and there, but the boy would wait. The vampire knew that the bully in him wouldn't just let his bruised ego go unpunished. It would drive him to revenge, and when it did Alison would be free to 'defend' herself. _Oh, yes, Dilan. You will pay for your treatment of my master. __**You.**__** Will. Pay.**_

(Well, I hope you enjoyed the fifth chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks. I'm afraid that there won't be any updates for a little while. Tomorrow, I'm going out of state for a couple of weeks and won't have my computer with me. Sorry. :( But, I hope you all stick around and enjoy the next chapter ones I can finally begin updating again.

PS. I'll still try to respond to me reviews, though I may be a bit later than usual. I'll have to borrow a friends computer or use a public terminal to access the web. LoL.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.


	6. Fights

**Integra's School Daze**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**Fights**

**AN:** Two days have passed since Integra and 'Alison's' first day at their new school.

"B-but, Master, you can't go out with this... this... Pip person. I... I will not allow it!"

Integra, flames practically in her eyes, quickly turned on her servant. "You will not allow it?" The knight glared at the vampire. "You are in no position to 'ALLOW' anything! You forget your place!"

Integra strode up next to the vampire. A minute of tension passed between the two, then Alucard bowed his head and dropped to one knee. "My place, Master, is at your feet. I am, as always, your loyal servant, forever bond to your bloodline."

Having reestablished her dominance, Integra turned away from her 'pet'. The knight went back to her closet, where she resumed searching for the 'perfect' dress for her first date with... well, anyone. But the knight turned back to the vampire as Alucard continued, "However, as your loyal servant, I must see to your protection. You have no way of knowing if this... Pip's intentions are honorable."

Integra smirked. "And what makes you so sure... **my** intentions are honorable?"

"Master! Your noble blood is far too precious to be wasted on the son of a common mercenary."

_Figures he would reduce it to that level._ "And how do you know he is the son of 'a common mercenary'?"

"I read his mind." Alucard noticed the look of disapproval from his master. Usually the vampire reveled in such looks, but he knew that he'd already overstepped his boundaries once. And Alucard did not wish to further test his leash... at least, not right away. "Just surface scans. No deep probing. Nothing invasive."

Integra briefly considered asking if Alucard had picked up anything about her while he was poking around in Pip's head; but, given the current circumstances, the knight decided against asking anything of her servant. So, she simply went back to her closet; and as she rummaged through it, several female garments went flying. "It's my blood, to waste or to save as I see fit." Integra paused for a moment and held one of her dresses up to her body. The knight looked at herself in the room's mirror, picturing how she would look in the dress. "And as for 'my protection', I am quite capable of handling one teenage boy without your assistance."

"Spoken as a true virgin." Integra cast a quick look at her servant, who only flashed her a toothy grin and continued, "You have no idea how dangerous hormonal teenage boys can be."

"No more dangerous than dirty old counts, I'd imagine." Integra saw what she believed to be a genuine look of hurt briefly pass over her servant's face, and the knight nearly apologized. But no, apologizing was a sign of weakness; and given the battle of wills the knight found herself in, she could afford to show none.

"Indeed," Alucard not quite sneered. "Well then, since you have no immediate need of me, may I take my leave, Master?"

Integra paused for another moment. Not since she first found Alucard had he ever asked to be excused, at least not without a reason. He'd always hung around and pestered her as much as he could. "Yes, fine. Take your leave. Begone with you! I need to change anyway."

Alucard finally rose from his half kneeling position. The vampire's voice became noticeably more high pitched as he shifted into his fifteen year old girl form. "Yes, my master." And with that 'Alison' left the room.

* * *

The vampire walked around the school grounds for a few minutes. _Oh, it just isn't right. Comparing me to that... that common mercenary. I was a voivode, a prince! And a prince is what a noble like her should have. In my day noble women knew better than to associate with common mercenaries. He's not good enough for her. None of them are! I should tear him limb from limb... or better yet, suck just a few drops of his blood and wait for him to turn._ An evil smile spread across Alison's face. _We'll see how far he gets with my master when his flesh is __rotting__ off his bones._ The vampire let out a giggle. _If I tore up his outfit enough, Master would probably kill the interloping ghoul, herself._ _Wouldn't that be fun to watch? _

Alison sighed. _Of course, I can't do any of that. I have to be a 'good pet'. Stupid rules. Stupid bond! _Alison kicked the side of a nearby building, her foot tearing out a chunk of concrete. _I need to kill something!_ The vampire thought for a moment, and it was then that she remembered the school bully.

It had been a couple of days since the rope climb, and Lance still hadn't tried to get his revenge, though Alison knew how badly the boy wanted it. The thing was that Alison had simply become too popular. The bully wasn't about to pick on one of the popular kids... at least not when there were other people around. Apparently, the nearly brain dead Neanderthal had just enough intelligence to realize that if he started wailing on a 'popular girl' someone, perhaps even multiple someones, would try to 'come to her rescue'.

Alison could've gone and sought out the bully herself, planned an 'accidental' meeting away from prying eyes, but she simply didn't want to pry herself away from her master long enough to do that. Besides, it wasn't like Lance was likely to forget the insult. He wasn't the type, and the Coach was still talking about how Alison had shattered the record. The vampire knew how much the constant reminder of her superiority tortured Lance. And for a time, Alison was willing to simply revel in that torture and the feelings of absolute hate that resonated from the boy. But now, things were different. The vampire was away from her master and would not be quickly returning to the knight's side.

Alison had time to kill... in more ways than one. The vampire reached out with her sixth sense; and as she located her target, the evil smile returned to her face. Lance was **almost** alone. He and two of his friends were in the process of harassing the school's chess club. Sure, there were a few people around, but no one that lance would be worried about 'coming to Alison's rescue'. The only ones there were the bully, his friends and a group of geeks. _Perfect__._ Alison quickly looked around then teleported herself outside the school bathroom where the bullies had dragged their helpless prey.

Alison waited outside the door for a moment. She could hear the sobs and pleas of the weaker ones inside, could feel the fear emanating from them. The vampire licked her lips. _Such a wonderful taste fear has. _Alison hesitated another moment and enjoyed the sensation. The vampire briefly considered, getting a seat, making herself comfortable and waiting until the torture had ended. But, no. This was just an appetizer, and she was hungry. The vampire wanted the full meal, and wasn't going to wait for it any longer.

Alison burst through the bathroom door. "What's going on in hea..." The vampire stopped and made a mock look of surprise as she saw Lance holding the club president's head in a toilet bowl.

Lance's two friends were each holding another club member, though the other two hadn't been 'dunked' yet. The bullies wanted each of their victims to watch what was going to happen to them next. That, at least, was something Alison could appreciate. The bullies might've been 'dumb as dirt', but at least they knew the real terror was in the waiting.

Lance let go of the chess club president and turned on Alison. "You know the sign on the door says 'Men's Room' for a reason." Lance began to advance on the vampire.

Alison took a few steps backward. "I-I heard strange noises. It sounded like someone was in trouble." Oh, the vampire played her part well.

Under other circumstances, she would've already attacked her target. However, her list of rules prevented her from doing that. He had to make the first move. And if Alison had behaved in her normal, confident and eager way, there was a chance it might've scared Lance off. Warriors enjoyed fighting worthy opponents, but bullies were only interested in beating down those weaker than themselves. So, Alison gave Lance exactly what he wanted. She played the part of a scared little girl.

"So, you thought you'd just barge into the men's room and play the hero. Is that it?" Alison shook her head 'no' and backed up against the far wall. "Or maybe you were just curious. Well," Lance drew up next to Alison and let out a dark chuckle, "you know what happened to the cat?" And then, the teenage boy made the biggest mistake of his life. He rolled up his sleeve and threw a punch at the vampire.

Alison sidestepped the punch, grabbed the bully's wrist then spun around the outside of his body, pinning the boy's arm behind his back and making him bend over. The vampire brought her mouth down to the bully's ear and whispered, "Big mistake," Then she jerked the arm. Lance screamed as his shoulder shattered. The 'girl' answered his screams by continuing. "one that will cost you an arm..." Alison rested her foot against the bully's calf. "and a leg." The vampire pushed, and the bully's tibia broke.

The jagged bottom half of the bone, lurched forward, piercing flesh and protruding from the leg. The vampire smelt the blood that was now freely flowing down the bully's leg, and she licked her lips again. "My, my. And still a virgin. How does it feel... to know you're going to die without ever having a woman?" Lance, now too afraid to scream, simply whimpered. Alison pulled one hand back and grew her fingernails into small knives. The Count would impale this victim's kidneys and watch as he slowly met his fate. It would be quite amusing to watch the life drain from the pathetic weakling who had dared to insult her master.

One of the bully's friends, not being able to clearly see what had happened but knowing that Lance was in trouble, rushed to his aid. He came up behind Alison, but vampires had no blind spots. She quickly turned and slashed, cutting his cheek open with her enlarged fingernails. As the stunned friend stopped and brought his hand up to the tattered strands of flesh that were once his cheek, Alison raised her leg and kicked him in the gut. The boy vomited blood and fell to the floor.

The other friend, seeing what this 'girl' had done to the other two bullies, exclaimed, "What... What are you?!"

"Come on! What are you waiting for? Attack me!" Alison replied; but rather than attack, the last bully released his grip on the chess club member and ran. Alison scoffed, "Coward!" However, she didn't go after him.

The rules prevented her from attacking any of the students. She could only get away with fighting them in 'self defense'. So, the vampire turned back to Lance.

The boy was crawling on the floor, also trying to escape. Alison looked down at the bully and was filled with nothing but disgust for someone so weak who thought himself strong... Well, nothing but disgust and disappointment; for the vampire realized that she'd lost her opportunity. If she squashed this pathetic bug now, there was no way she could claim 'self defense' to her master.

Alison snorted and turned away from the defeated bully. It was then that the club president and one of the other boys she'd 'saved' ran by her and rushed down the hallway as quickly as they could. However, to the vampire's surprise, the third boy ran up and threw his arms around her. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!" The boy pulled back from hugging the vampire and looked into her face. "That. Was. Amazing!"

Alison had been so focused on beating on Lance that, not until that moment, did she realize one of the boy's she was 'saving' was the same one she'd met a couple of days earlier. Alison smiled as she saw a way she could exploit this new turn of events..

(I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's been a little while. Sorry. :( But I'm back now, and I'm hoping to get back to posting an update each week. :) Well, anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Please review, and let me know what you think. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)


	7. Date Night

**Integra's School Daze**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**Date Night**

Alison and Steve arrived at the restaurant approximately a half hour after Integra and Pip. It wasn't that Alison had wasted a lot of time trying to pick out a dress like her master had done. To be honest, the vampire couldn't care less what her date thought about her clothes. No, they arrived a half hour later, because that was exactly when Alison wanted to get there.

Alison had talked Steve into sitting at a quiet little table in the corner, a table that was mostly concealed by the restaurant's rather large fish tank. And that was precisely why Alison had selected it. Hidden at that table, the vampire could use her third eye to watch her master's every move; but Integra wouldn't be able to see the vampire... or her date.

So Alison sat at her table, half listening to Steve prattle on about how sad it was that Star Trek the Next Generation had ended and eves dropping on her master. Integra seemed to be enjoying herself, and Alison had mixed feelings about that. Her master was the first person, since Mina, who's happiness the Count truly cared about. However, at the moment, Integra's enjoyment was being caused by the... mercenary who was trying to steal her away.

But, regardless of how Alison felt about it, Integra was enjoying her first **actual** date. It seemed that her and Pip had a great deal in common, though none of it was the kind of similarities most teenagers shared. Pip's knowledge of weapons and military tactics rivaled her own. The two had had an interesting discussion on which was more important in a weapon, the penetrating power or the size of the wound it inflicted.

Integra favored deep penetrating rounds. The reason for this was that they were more likely to reach the heart, a requirement for killing vampires. It seemed Pip belonged to the 'Big Hole School'. He argued that a larger wound damaged more tissue and therefor caused faster bleed out. Of course, Integra couldn't really bring up the fact that 'bleed out' wasn't so important when fighting the undead. Still, the knight, stubbornly held her position that penetration was more important. Eventually, the two agreed that a combination ammo, such as hollow point rounds, was the best way to go in order to achieve the desired 'one shot kill'.

Integra was also pleased that, although Pip came from a very different background, he too seemed to understand the importance of upholding family traditions. It seemed that Pip's family had been mercenaries for as long as Integra's had been knights. And from the way that Pip talked it was apparent that, although he had a much different outlook on 'duty', the young mercenary did possess both loyalty and a degree of honor.

By the time Integra's main course arrived, she was imagining what her father would've thought of her date. Integra mentally scoffed. _He probably would've had the same reaction as Alucard... Well okay, maybe not the __**same**__ reaction. But he would've raised the same objection. I don't imagine, Daddy, would've approved of his daughter dating the son of a mercenary either. But he's a heck of a lot better than the son's of the other round table knights, who my father would most likely of tried to push on me._

While Integra and Pip were being served their meal, a waiter was trying to take Alison and Steve's orders. "And what will Ma-dam be having?" The waiter waited a moment but received no reply. He prompted, "Ma-dam?" But, the vampire was too focused on her eves dropping to notice. After another minute of waiting, the waiter finally cleared his throat and spoke in a noticeably louder... and somewhat irritated voice. "MA-DAM?"

"Huh?" The vampire snapped her attention back to her own table.

"Ma-dam," The waiter tilted his head slightly before continuing, "What will you be having for supper?"

At this Alison paused and thought for a moment. She opened her menu and gave it a quick once over, then looked up at the waiter, "Filet mignon... raw."

The waiter raised an eyebrow. "Pardon moi, but surely madam means rare?"

"Uh... sure." Alison answered, though she had meant **exactly** what she said.

"Very good." The waiter bowed and started to leave, but the vampire reached out and tightly gripped the man's arm.

The pressure wasn't enough to break anything, but it did hurt slightly and made the waiter pay very close attention to the vampire's next words. "**Very** 'rare'," Alison nearly growled.

"Y-yes, of course." The waiter nodded profusely, and Alison released her grip. The frightened waiter quickly headed for the kitchen. Somehow he had a feeling that he'd better talk to the chef and make sure the man got the young but very strong girl's order right the first time.

Having ordered her steak, the vampire went back to her eves dropping, or rather she tried to. However, the knight wasn't at her table. A brief look of confusion passed over the vampire's face, and she zoomed out, with her third eye, in an attempt to locate her wayward master. It didn't take long for Alison to find her master. However, the vampire now had a new problem. The knight was headed straight for her.

It had been a fluke of luck. Pip had excused himself and gone to the bathroom. When he'd returned, around five minutes later, he'd made a simple off handed comment about how he'd thought he spotted Integra's roommate sitting at one of the far tables and what a coincidence it was.

Oh, but Integra knew better. There were no coincidences, not when it came to her 'pet'. Integra was quick to get up and head for the table her date had indicated. Pip, not knowing what was going on but being experienced enough to tell when a woman was angry, wisely chose to sit at his table and wait for his date to return, rather than follow her.

Integra reached the table at which her servant sat. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?!"

Alison, a mock surprised and confused look on her face, turned away from her 'date',. "I was just listening to Steve's theories on why Vulcan's have green blood." It was a good thing for Alison that she'd been half listening to what her date was saying. The only sentence that had caught the vampire's attention earlier was when Steve had mentioned the strange blood color, but it had given her something to ask him about when she noticed her master coming over.

Integra, of course, didn't buy the innocent act for a minute. "Ahuh, lady's room. Now."

Alison got up and followed her master to the lady's room. There was only one person already in the lady's room, a brunet that was checking her makeup. Integra and Alison just stood there for a moment, waiting for the other girl to leave. However, the brunet seemed to be borderline obsessive about her make up. The tension built and finally Integra walked over to the brunet. "Excuse me, but are you nearly done?"

The brunet turned to the knight and responded curtly. "And just who made you queen of the rest room? I'll take as long as I dam..."

The brunet stopped mid-sentence as Alison, effortlessly, drove her fist through the granite counter-top. "If I were you, I'd choose my next words **very** carefully." The vampire just couldn't stand it when others were disrespectful to her master. The brunet quickly apologized, then sprinted out of the restroom.

As soon as the other woman was gone, Integra turned on her servant. "Alright, spill it! What do you think you're doing here?"

Alison replied, "I'm on a date. One that you're interrupting, I might add."

"**I'm** interrupting **your** date?! Oh, that's rich! Oh-ho-ho, that... is... rich! Admit it. You followed me here to spy on me!"

"Master!" The vampire faked shock at the knight's accusation. "What kind of a servant do you think I am?"

"Oh, I know **exactly** what kind of a servant you are. Now go wait for me back in our room. I'll deal with you when I return."

Beneath the fifteen year old girl mask, Alucard was grinning broadly. This fight alone made the whole date worth it. The vampire did so love to annoy his master, and Integra was nearly at her wits end. Of course, Alison just kept pushing. "Well, that seems unfair enough. You get to go on a date, but I've got to just sit in a dark room and wait for you to return?"

Integra rubbed her temples and did her best to keep from totally losing it. The knight began slowly, "You like dark rooms. Besides, It's not like you actually care about... about... uh..."

"His name is Steve, and what makes you think I don't care about him?" Alison asked, a coy smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Oh, please!" Integra nearly laughed from the absurdity. "Like you would ever be interested in someone like... like that."

"You know..." Alison began, but paused and grinned before continuing. "I think you're jealous."

"WHAT?!" Integra replied as if she'd been insulted. "I, most certainly, am not!"

"Oh, really?" Alison asked, her eyes sparkling mischievously. The vampire drew up next to the knight. "As soon as you find out I'm on a date, you practically drag me into the bathroom and order me to leave. Come on, that doesn't seem like jealous behavior to you?"

Alison had managed to catch her master off guard. "I-You-He..." The knight stammered as her mind played catch up.

Alison leaned forward and whispered into her master's ear. "Careful now, Master. Wouldn't want to slip up and say the wrong thing, would you?"

The two were so close that Integra could actually feel her servant's breath. It was... unsettling. Why had she let her servant get so close? The knight shook her head in an attempt to clear it. "I am not the one who's jealous. **You** followed **me** on **my date**, obviously intending to disrupt it somehow." The knight turned and waved dismissively. "You are the jealous one."

"So, then if Steve and I were to go elsewhere, we could continue our date?"

Integra's eyes went wide. That was a question the knight had not anticipated, and she was in a quandary about how best to answer it. One answer would set her pet loose on the English countryside, with only a geeky, teenage admirer as 'leash holder'. Sure, the knight had come up with a list of 'rules', but her pet had proven particularly adapt at finding 'loopholes'.

The other answer would only reinforce the vampire's accusation of jealousy. _Why do I care if he thinks I'm jealous anyway?_ Integra pondered that for a brief moment but quickly dropped her train of thought as that one question began to lead to... other questions, ones the knight would rather not ask herself. Finally, after what seemed to Integra like an eternity of stress, the knight came up with the best reply she could think of. "You may continue your date... here." Integra locked eyes with her, somewhat too pleased, servant and continued in a low, almost growling voice. "But if you do anything to disrupt my date with Pip..."

"Master?!" Alison faked offense. "I would never dream of such a thing." The vampire lied, then flashed a devious grin once her master had turned away.

(Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought of it. Thanks. I'm not sure if I'm going to actually cover the rest of the date, or jump forward and just tell you what happened at the beginning of the next chapter. I guess, it'll probably depend on if I come up with enough date content to fill another chapter or not. LoL.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)


	8. Like Cats and Dogs

**Like Cats and Dogs.**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**AN:** Integra and Pip have switched tables. After discovering that her 'pet' had followed her, the young knight insisted that her and her date move to another table, one from which she could keep an eye on her 'roommate'. If 'Alison' was going to be out in public than 'her' master figured she needed to keep track of the vampire, lest some disaster occur. At least that was the excuse the young knight told herself.

When 'Alison' returned to 'her' table, the vampire found her dinner had already been brought out. She shrugged._ I guess it doesn't take long to prepare a 'very rare' steak._ The vampire took her seat, picked up her knife and fork, then began to devour the tender meat.

Alison wasn't slobbish by any means. Superior breeding and schooling had thoroughly ingrained a certain refinement into the vampire, a refinement that even four hundred years as a blood thirsty monster couldn't completely stamp out. However, she was... quick.

Steve's meal hadn't arrived yet, and he watched with a mixture of intrigue, mild revulsion and... something else he couldn't quite identify as his date cut chunks from the nearly raw meet and took them into her mouth. It wasn't exactly a pretty sight. The meat's red juices coted her lips and occasionally dripped down the side of her face before Alison flicked out her tongue to lap them back up. It was... disturbing, especially the one split second where Steve could've sworn he saw a red flash in his date's eyes. Yet, the teenage boy found himself unable to look away.

Eventually, Alison noticed the way her 'date' was watching her, and after a brief moment, the edge of the vampire's lip curled slightly. "Oh, they haven't brought your food yet; and given the way, you're watching me eat mine, you must be famished." The vampire 'impaled' one of the smaller chunks of meat with her fork and held it out to her 'date'. This would be amusing, but not amusing enough for the vampire to give up one of her larger pieces, even to the poor guy who would be stuck paying for her rather expensive meal. "Would you like a bite of mine?"

Steve just stared at the drop of far to red liquid that slowly trailed the outside edge of the offered fork. "Um, no. It's okay. I-I'll just wait." Steve grinned sheepishly.

"Oh, but this is soooo delicious. You simply must try a bite." Alison paused; but her 'date' did not reply, nor did he move to take the offered bite. The vampire shifted her voice slightly and continued, "I insist."

The change in tone caused Steve to gulp before closing his eyes, leaning forward and taking the bite into his mouth. Steve grimaced as the seriously undercooked meat and... 'jucies' collided with his taste buds. Alison just smirked.

Over at Integra and Pip's new table, Pip happened to glance over and see his date's roommate offering Steve the piece of meat. "It seems that your roommate really likes that boy she's with."

"Huh?"

"Look." Pip pointed at the other table. "She's feeding him. Isn't that sweet?"

"What?!" Integra did look, and the young knight nearly rubbed her eyes in disbelief. It was true. Her pet monster was 'spoon feeding' some geeky teenage boy. _What the bloody hell's wrong with him? Has this 'Alison' thing messed with his head that badly? He... he could not possibly have real feelings for... for that weakling, that nerd, that... that geek! Could he? And... and why do I care?_

Almost immediately after swallowing the meat, Steve felt it trying to force its way back up. He quickly excused himself and rushed to the bathroom as fast as he could. Alison grinned as her 'date' ran and placed his hand over his mouth. Then the vampire turned to look at her master. Alison's grin widened considerably as she saw and recognized the expression on the young knight's face. _Hehe, you may __**say **__you're not jealous; but your face betrays you, my master. _

Integra gritted her teeth and suppressed a frustrated growl. Then the young knight got out of her seat and walked over next to Pip. The mercenary looked up quizzically, and Integra extended her hand. "Dance with me."

Pip was a little taken back. That sounded dangerously close to an order, and the merc was not in the habit of taking orders from his dates. However, Pip Bernadotte was never one to miss out on the opportunity to hold a beautiful woman. So the mercenary stood up, took his date's offered hand and led her to the dance floor.

Alison fixed the two with a death glare as she watched from her table. Integra saw this and fired back,_ Who is the jealous one again?_

Alison scowled. But, before long, she could see Steve coming back from the bathroom, and the vampire's smirk returned with her 'date'. Alison stood up and intercepted Steve before he reached their table. The vampire didn't even bother to speak. She just dragged the teenage boy to the dance floor. Alison flashed her master a coy smile as the vampire began to dance with her own 'date'.

For two songs, the knight and the vampire battled each other in this most... unusual contest, much to the delight of the men who constantly found their hands and bodies being shifted into more... intimate positions. But by the third song, Alison had had enough. She maneuvered Steve and herself, right up next to her master and the mercenary, then the vampire waited for the third song to stop. And when it did, she broke away from her date and tapped the French Mercenary on his shoulder. "Excuse me, but may I cut in?"

* * *

As Alison walked back through the school yard, she felt a rare sensation of joy. It was a beautiful night. The air was moist and had cooled enough that a thin layer of fog was beginning to form. There was even a full moon. However, although the vampire did notice these things and was somewhat pleased by them, what she really reveled in was the memory of the look on her master's face when last she saw her.

The vampire grinned, at the memory of holding Integra close and moving in rhythm with the music. The only thing that would've made it better would've been if he could've used his true form. But, alas, such a thing was not possible. Rule 1 strictly forbid shape-shifting while others were watching. And **everyone** was watching the pair as they glided across the floor.

Still, even if the vampire had been forced to maintain the form of a teenage girl, the night had been the most fun that he had had since WWII. Of course his master would doubtless punish him when she returned from finishing up her date, but the look on her face alone was easily worth any punishment the young knight could dream up. _Indeed, depending on how 'creative' she is, I may even get one more thrill tonight._ The vampire stopped for a moment and let a little fantasy play out in his mind, a fantasy that would've made any 'normal' person check himself into an asylum.

But then Alison sighed. _Ahh, it'll never happen like that. My master's not the 'torturing' type, too... intimate for her. _Alison giggled. _She'll probably just yell like a banshee, then withhold my blood supply for a few days... or come up with another punishment that's equally mundane. Still... _The smirk returned to Alison's face._ I do enjoy the yelling._

Alison started walking again. However, before she'd taken more than another ten steps, the wind shifted and Alison's nose crinkled up as she caught a familiar scent. _Blood, earth and death without decay. Another vampire!_ Alison stopped and sniffed the air a couple more times, just to be sure. Then her smirk grew into a toothy grin. Yes, it was indeed the sent of a vampire. _This night just keeps getting better and better._

Alison's pace quickened from a leisurely stroll to a near run as she followed the scent. But upon finding its place of origin, the vampire was taken back. _There's no one here. _It was true. Even the ancient vampire's highly trained third eye couldn't find a trace of a 'person' anywhere around. Perplexed by this unexpected turn of events, Alison nearly shouted. "I know you're here. Come out. Come out and fight me like a true Nosferatu." The vampire paused and waited, but no enemy revealed itself. "You disgusting coward, where are you hiding?" Alison paused again, but still nothing. "Answer me!"

This time there was a reply... of sorts. A thin little black cat crawled out of an overturned garbage can and meowed. "What the..." Alison stared at the animal for a moment. Then a flash of recognition passed over the vampire's face. It was the same cat she'd started to feed on two days earlier. "You're the vampire?" Alison asked in a curious tone. She bent down, moving her face closer to the cat, and inhaled deeply. There was no doubt about it. This cat was the 'vampire' she'd smelt. Alison stood back up and eyed the cat curiously as it began to lick itself. She'd only ever drunk the blood of one animal before, and she had utterly consumed that animal, turning him into a familiar. The ancient vampire had no idea that if an animal survived it could contract her, rather unique, condition. "Huh."

Alison leaned down and scooped the feline into her arms. "Well now, I suppose the question is, what do I do with you?" The cat meowed again and the vampire began to pet it. "I can't exactly let you roam around the campus now, can I? If my master ever found out that I accidentally sired another vampire, and a cat at that, she'd never let me live it down. Her punishments I'll gladly take, but her mocking... Well, that's another matter. So, I guess there's only one thing to do." The cat meowed a third time. It may have just been the vampire's imagination, but she thought this last meow sounded almost inquisitive and... a little frightened. "Oh, come now, it won't be so bad. Tell you what, we can even make it fun. We'll turn it into a game..." Alison set the cat back down. "cats and dogs. You be the cat..." Alison's voice shifted into a deep, almost devilish, growl as she finished. "And I'll be the dog." Then, in the blink of an eye, the vampire shifted out of his teenage girl form and into his 'Hell Hound'.

The terrified cat looked up at the nightmarish dog towering over it and let out a nervous squeal. Baskervill responded with a chorus of loud barks, and the cat took off with unnatural speed.

(Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. For some reason it was a lot harder to write than most. Anyway, I hope you liked it. Please review and let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

( To the hellsing fan: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much. I hope you found this one equally entertaining and enjoy the rest of the story.)


	9. Crime and Punishment

**Crime and Punishment**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**AN:** Sorry about not updating last week. I put all my fics on hold for a week so that I'd have the time to do a Hellsing Christmas special. Sorry, but I do hope you enjoy this chapter.

PS. This chapter contains an HK47 quote. See if you can pick it out.

The two undead animals ran across the campus. Baskervill seemed to be enjoying himself. The dog's tale was wagging. His tongue hung out the side of his mouth; and, although it was impossible for a normal dog, anyone staring closely at Baskervill's face would've sworn he was grinning. The poor vampire kitty, that was being chased, was less enthusiastic.

And so they continued, running through the fresh cut grass, around the school buildings and even right through the cafeteria! They passed several students and a few faculty members. Of course to maintain his cover, Baskervill kept all but two of his eyes closed and tinted the open two black, like any normal hound's.

Finally the cat saw it's best chance of escape, a small water drainage grate that the hound would be too big to enter. The feline leapt for the grate even as Baskervill's jaw snapped shut and trimmed the hairs at the end of the cat's tail.

The cat floated gracefully through the air and dropped into it's target grate. Then it stopped and panted, its little chest rapidly expanding and contracting. Baskervill stood on top of the grate and barked into it a few times. The cat looked up and released a mocking, "Meow?"

Baskervill grinned down at the cat and was just about to shadow-shift through the grate when he felt something bushy strike his back and heard a voice exclaim, "You leave that poor kitty alone, You big bully!"

Baskervill turned around to see Sally standing behind him. The house prefect had a broom firmly grasped in her hands and was poised in the same stance she had used back when she'd barged into Integra's room. Baskervill growled menacingly at the interfering prefect; but rather than run, she brought her broom down again, this time striking the big black dog in his face.

Baskervill growled another warning; but once again, he was struck by the broom's bristles. Now, the No-Life King had had enough. When Sally brought the broom up again, Baskervill leapt up and used his jaws to snap the handle like a twig.

Sally let out a surprised yell but quieted immediately as she looked back at the 'devil dog', which now had it's four additional eyes opened and trained on her. As if the six eyes weren't bad enough, gone was the normal, black canine pupils. Instead, the eyes glowed an unnatural and frightening red.

So shocked was the prefect, that she dropped the other half of her destroyed broom and subconsciously began to back away from the creature which stared at her, hungrily licking it's lips. Unfortunately for the prefect, she'd pushed the 'devil dog' just a little bit too far. Baskervill pounced on the girl and pinned her to the tarred ground. Then the beast waited. It enjoyed the sensation of fear oozing off of the girl. She was terrified... as well she should be. After a minute of drinking in the girl's fear, the beast slowly opened it's mouth and moved it's fangs to her neck.

This was going to be good, so good. It had been far too long since the No-Life King got to enjoy fresh, warm, human blood. But, of course, he was to be denied again. For just as the beast's fangs began to scrape the girl's neck, he heard his master's summons. "**A-L-U-C-A-R-D!**" Baskervill snorted his disapproval. His master had always had the worst timing. Still, he could not refuse her summons; so the beast got off of the trembling young woman and ran off.

Baskervill ran to the Britten House and leapt through his Master's open window. Only once inside, did the No-Life King bother to shape-shift back into the fifteen year old girl form that had become so familiar to his young master, over the last few days.

Integra stared wide eyed for a moment. She was not expecting a huge 'hell hound' to leap through her bedroom window. _Just how many forms does he have anyway?_

Of course the young knight's attention was immediately drawn back to the night's earlier events as 'Alison' smirked and asked, "You called for me, Master?"

"Yes, I called for you." Integra began almost calmly, but then her tone shifted dramatically. "What the bloody hell did you think you were doing?!"

"Doing?" Alison asked, faking innocence. "Oh, you mean back at the restaurant. Why dancing, of course." The vampire answered, sounding like Integra was foolish for asking such an obvious question.

Oh, but Integra did not buy it for a minute. "Don't give me that." She scornfully spat at her servant. "You were trying to ruin my date!" The young knight accused.

Alison just smiled coyly, "Your date didn't seem to mind. In fact, I suspect he rather enjoyed the show."

"That... That is not the point!!!" Integra yelled.

"Indeed, Master? Than what is the point? You accused me of ruining your date. Since it lasted over an hour after I left, that accusation is hardly justified." Alison replied sounding almost detached and analytical. But then her voice shifted back into it's previous, coy tone. "Tell me, Master, why are you really so upset?"

"Because." Integra began through grit teeth. "Women do not dance with each other! At least... At least not like... like that! You made a spectacle of yourself; and worse, you made a spectacle of me!"

"Is that so?" Alison giggled. "I do not remember you complaining when I took you in my arms, pulled our bodies close and..."

"I was in shock!!! I couldn't believe that you were doing something so... so..."

"Forbidden?" Alison offered up.

"Wrong." Integra corrected.

"Yes, Master, wrong... so very, very wrong." Alison's smile grew. "Tell me, is that why you enjoyed it so much?" The vampire was having tremendous fun tormenting her Master. This truly was a wonderful night. But then Alison's expression dropped when her master finally regained control of her temper and simply laughed at the insinuation.

"Enjoyed it? You mean being held by a cold, dead creature like you? Please." Integra scoffed.

Still, the Count wasn't quite through yet. He'd held enough women in his arms to know when one was enjoying herself. "You can deny it all you want, Master. I know that you had more fun with me than with that... son of a mercenary."

"Enough, vampire. You will not get a rise out of me again." Integra remained firm, but cold. "Now as to the matter of your punishment, I have given it some thought and think I have decided on something suitably horrible for you."

At that Alison perked up again. Perhaps her master was more creative than the vampire had suspected. Alison's eyes seemed to sparkle for a moment as she replied, "Evisceration works well. Electrocution and blunt trauma also work well, I understand."

Integra advanced on her pet, and the knight's voice picked up a husky quality that made the vampire's cold blood warm ever so slightly. "Oh, you would like that, wouldn't you?"

Alison subconsciously nodded her head as her master leaned over her, their faces separated by only a few inches. "Well..." Integra suddenly pulled back and continued in her normal tone. "you can forget about it." The knight turned away from her deflated pet. "You are not suppose to enjoy your punishments; and with that in mind, I have come up with something that will be appropriately... torturous for you." The young knight turned back around so she could watch her pet vampire's reaction. "You are grounded."

Alison's expression instantly fell. Despite all that buildup her master had still gone with such a mundane punishment? "Grounded?"

"Yes." The corner of Integra's lip curled into a slight smile. "I know how much you hate to be bored. So, for the next week, you are not to leave this room except to attend your classes. You will spend all of your free time, even your lunch break, confined within these four walls. You will have no interaction with anyone, no victims to torment. And you are not to leave this room under **any **circumstances, unless I specifically summon you." Integra paused for a moment and let the punishment sink into her pet's head before continuing, "And trust me, I will not be summoning you. Nor, will I be returning to this room for anything other than sleep. You're going to be alone... all alone."

Alison had been wrong. She hadn't given her master enough credit. Integra **was** more creative than the vampire had thought. Unfortunately, the knight also knew her 'pet' a little bit too well. This next week was going to be a nightmare. Then Alison remembered about the cat that had escaped through the drainage system. "Wait, Master, you can't ground me. I have to..."

"To what!" Integra spat at her servant. No vampire was going to tell Sir Integral Wingates Hellsing what she could and couldn't do.

Alison sighed and hung her head. "Nothing, Master." Yes, she might've postponed her punishment by telling her Master that there was a vampire cat loose on campus, but it wasn't worth it. Integra was not likely to forget what had happened at the restaurant. The vampire would still be grounded, only she'd first have to suffer the indignity of admitting that she'd accidentally 'turned' a cat; and worse, that it managed to escape her. No. It was better to take the punishment and hope for the slim chance that the undead animal could go undetected for another week.

* * *

The vampire kitty stalked through the sewage system. It was hungry, so hungry. But... but this hunger, it was different from any the cat had experienced before. It could not be satisfied by garbage or table scraps stolen from picnicking students, and... and it was growing.

The cat let out a rather pitiful sounding meow, a meow which startled a nearby sewer rat. The rat raised its head to sniff at the air, and the cat caught sight of one of its natural prey creatures. The cat licked its lips and let out a low growl that scared the rat into trying to flee.

Oh, but that particular cat was now **much** faster than its prey. It effortlessly caught up to the rat and pounced on it. And then, as the feline sunk it's teeth into the body of the oversized rodent, it was greeted by a warm, rich, red liquid that poured into its mouth. Suddenly the cat's eyes glowed red, and the growing hunger was momentarily sated.

(Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Once again, sorry about not giving you anything last week. Unfortunately, I'll probably miss next week too. I've justr decided to go spend the Holidays with me extended family. So, I'll be out of state from the 23'd to the 2'd. Sorry. :( But please review this chapter and let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

(To Ayame: Thanks for the review. And what do you know, the cat survived yet again. LoL. I guess prayer really works, huh? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.)

(To kiki: Thanks for the review. Yes, mean Integra. Bad mean Integra. She was definitely jealous, but she'd NEVER admit it LoL.)


	10. Did You Hear?

**Did You Hear?**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**AN:** Sorry for the long wait. I went away to spend Christmas with my extended family. So, I haven't had much time to write... or dependable Internet access for the last week and a half. Anyway, hope you enjoy this. And Hopefully, I'll be able to get back on a regular updating schedule.

It was Friday, and the school day was nearly over. 'Alison' sat in 'her' last class, what 'she' considered to be a rather boring History class. It wasn't that the vampire didn't like History in general, quite the opposite in fact. It was just that the subject of the particular day's study was World War II, specifically the Warsaw Uprising, and it amazed the vampire just how many things the historians had gotten wrong. There wasn't even any mention of undead.

_I mean I know the British Government tried to cover up the experiments, but still... You'd think there'd be some mention of unsubstantiated rumors! _Alison sighed, slumped back in her chair; and while the professor droned on about the brave but ultimately doomed efforts of the Polish Armia Krajowa and displayed a sideshow of old war pictures, the vampire used her heightened mental powers to scan the minds of her fellow students.

Most of the other student's minds were filled with anticipation for the weekend. Alison scoffed._ See how excited they'd be if they had to spend the whole time locked away in a dorm room. _It had been four days since Integra 'grounded' her 'pet' vampire, and so far Alison had been dealing fairly well with her punishment. But her classes had given her some time away from the room, which had become her cell. Now, that last 'saving grace' was going to be taken away. When this last class was over, the vampire would be sealed away for the next two and a half days.

Alison huffed again. _This punishment is truly torturous. _Feeling an emotion caught somewhere in between anger and pride, the vampire turned to look at her master. _She really does know me better than I'd thought._

Then the vampire sensed her master tense up, and a rare sensation of worry crossed the link between them. More curious than truly concerned, Alison 'spoke' to her master through their mental connection. _You are troubled, my master. Tell me, what is wrong?_

_Haven't you been paying attention?_

_Of course I have... Cindy's pregnant._

_What?! Who the bloody hell is Cindy?!_

_Blonde girl, three rows up and two to your right. Bill's the father, at least she thinks he is. Apparently the cheerleader's been less than faithful._ Alison let out a mental giggle before continuing. _Course Bill has no clue about the affair... or the pregnancy._

_No, vampire. Not the other students! Haven't you been paying attention to the lecture?_ Integra queried.

_Oh, but master... the other students are far more entertaining._ The vampire half teased back. _Would you like to know who Cindy cheated with? _

Integra shook her head. _Just look at the screen you bloody fool._

_Yes, Master._ Alison turned back to the front of the class, obeying her master's order. The vampire stared, for a moment, at the old World War II photo on the screen. Then she understood what had so unnerved her master. In the lower right hand corner, standing at the foot of a small hill, were a young Walter and... 'Alison' herself. They were in the background, but the picture was remarkably clear for one of that time period. And one could easily make out the faces if one put a little effort into it.

Alison grinned, if anyone else noticed the picture it would make for some interesting entertainment. But alas, the professor hit a button on his remote; and the slide changed, without anyone else seeming to notice that they had a World War II veteran attending their high school.

Alison internally grumbled. _Figures_. Then the vampire cast a look over at the clock, estimating how much time she had before the class was over. "Less than five minutes." Alison grumbled to herself and, having nothing better to do, went back to scanning her classmates.

The five minutes passed quickly, too quickly for the vampire's taste. The bell rang, and Alison reluctantly packed up her books and stood up. Then the vampire decided to try a new approach. She cast one last look at Integra, locking eyes with her master, and flashed the most pitiful look the proud vampire was able to produce. _Master... please?_ Alison mentally asked, trying to play upon what little sympathy Integra still possessed. _It's already been four days._

But Integra saw straight through the ploy. She didn't even bother to reply, just cast her pet a stern look; and Alison slumped her shoulders, knowing that her punishment was still in full effect. The vampire sighed then headed for the classroom door.

In an effort to postpone her confinement as long as possible, Alison walked as slowly as she figured she could get away with; and on the way back to her prison, the vampire overheard some of her classmates talking.

"Did you hear about the Demon Dog?" One girl asked.

"Aww, that's just a rumor." her friend replied and waved dismissively.

"It's not!" The girl stated with passion. "Sally saw it. Said it nearly killed her."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard. Big black dog with six glowing red eyes. Honestly, who would ever believe something so ridiculous?" A boy cut in.

As Alison neared the group, the boy's eyes went wide. He stepped back, pulling the other two with him and giving Alison as wide a birth as possible. The vampire walked by without missing a step, but tuned up her senses so she could continue her eavesdropping.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" One of the girls exclaimed to the boy who was still holding her arm.

"Don't you know who that was?" He replied.

"No, who?" The other girl asked.

"That's the girl who nearly killed Lance and his friends." The boy whispered.

"That little girl?" The first girl questioned, finding such a claim difficult to believe. "Why she's not even half his size."

"Yeah I know, but she's some kind of crazy ninja... or something. She busted his shoulder and broke his leg."

The two girls cast amazed stares at Alison's back as she continued to move away from them. "Really?" They asked in unison.

"Yeah, but that's nothing compared to what she did to Robert. The right side of his face looks like raw hamburg, and it took the doctors over three hours to straighten out his guts."

"No way! You're making this up."

The boy held up one hand and placed the other over his heart. "Swear to God. I heard it straight from Derek after he came back from visiting his two friends in the hospital." The three cast another look at the distant vampire, and the boy continued, "Forget 'Demon Dogs'. You want something to be afraid of, she's ten times as scary."

Alison smirked as she opened the exit door. Maybe she was 'grounded', but at least she was provoking the appropriate response from her classmates. Alison stepped through the door and let it slam shut behind her.

As the vampire continued towards the Britten house and the bedroom that had become her cell, she paused and cast a long stare at a derelict building that had served as the school's gymnasium two decades earlier.

Alison could sense the presence of undead within the old gym. The vampire cat had apparently made the abandoned building its lair, but there was more than one undead within. Indeed, Alison could sense the infestation growing with each passing day. The vampire cat was gathering its forces, but for what its sire had no idea. Perhaps the cat was simply ignorant and didn't fully understand what it had become. Perhaps it was merely following an instinctive drive to drag it's prey to a secluded area before feasting, and the other undead were just the left overs.

Or perhaps it had it's own dark designs. Perhaps it was waiting, biding it's time and building it's undeed army for a conquest of the school, the town, the country, the world! Alison sighed and turned away from the old building. Whatever that vampire kitty was up to, would have to wait. Alison had two and a half days left to her punishment, and her master wasn't in a forgiving mood. So, the vampire continued back to her cell, hoping for once that things would stay quiet for a little while longer, just a little while longer.

* * *

Later that night, Mira snuck out of her dorm room and rushed off to her secret rendezvous with Pip. The two young lovers met in front of the old gym. In one hand the young Frenchman had a basket filled with candles, a blanket, a couple plates of recently purchased and fully cooked fish fillets, a small baked stuffed lobster to split and a bottle of paid for but illegally acquired White Zinfandel. In the other hand he held two wine glasses.

Mira saw this and commented on it. "Aww, now I feel guilty for not bringing anything." The girl made a mock pout.

"Oh, don't feel guilty, Ruse." Pip smiled coyly and continued in a slightly suggestive voice. "You brought the dessert."

Mira giggled and followed her date over to the secluded building's front door. Of course, being in the lead, Pip was the first to reach it; and after juggling around his basket and wine glasses for a moment, he opened the door for his date.

"Merci." Mira responded and did a half curtsy.

Pip smiled, shifted his foot to hold the door open and followed his date inside. Pip opened up the basket and removed the items. He spread the blanket, setup the meal then filled the two wine glasses; and for the first five minutes or so everything went well.

Over dinner, the young Frenchman commented. "You know, I'm very glad that you didn't listen to your father."

Mira scoffed. "Daddy can be so... close minded at times." The girl's face and voice took on a mock authoritative edge. "No daughter of mine is going to go out with some playboy Frenchman. All that talk about love and romance and pretty soon a girl can't keep her head on straight. Oh no. You're never to see him again." Mira broke out in laughter.

Pip grinned. "He doesn't really understand teenage girls, does he?"

"And why would you say that?" Mira asked without a hint of disagreement in her tone.

"Simple," Pip's grin widened. "Telling them they can't have something only makes them want it more." The young Frenchman leaned in and whispered seductively into his date's ear. "All woman are tempted by the... forbidden." The last word was punctuated by Pip gently nibbling on his date's earlobe.

Mira broke out in a chorus of giggles and playfully slapped her date's chest. "Pip, stop. What about dinner?"

Pip pulled back, stared into his date's eyes and wilily replied "Well, Ruse, I was kind of hoping to skip to the dessert. But if you insist..." Pip broke the eye contact and started to go back to his plate of food, but then he felt a hand upon his leg. The young Frenchman smiled and looked up to see his date leaning forward, eyes closed, lips pursed and opened slightly. However as Pip leaned in to complete the kiss, something from up above fell down on his head. Startled, Pip quickly shook his head, sending the thing flying into the bottle of wine.

The wine spilt all over the two young lovers; and as soon as Mira felt the dampness seeping into her clothing, her eyes shot open. Then both her and Pip saw what appeared to be a very disease ridden rodent flip itself back unto its feet and hiss at them.

The two teens screamed, stood and started running even as more rodents fell from the rafters above. The young lovers managed to reach the door before the unusually slow rodents, with rotting flesh, caught them. They flung the door open and, still screaming, ran from the old gym, their romantic evening both ruined and forgotten.

(Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm worried it may not be as good as the others since I didn't have much time to work on it. I just got back yesterday. Anyway, please review and let me know your thoughts. Thanks. Hopefully, the next chapter will be better.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

(To BlackMara: Sorry, but I can't remember if I already replied or not. So, I'll just leave a reply here. Thanks for the review. Glad you're still enjoying this... and getting such a kick out of the vampire kitty. Things will start to come to a head for it in the next chapter.)


	11. Infestation!

**Infestation!**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

It was Saturday afternoon when Integra found the man. He was lying on a grassy hill, not far from the school's old gym building. The man was dressed in an torn exterminator's suit and was rather jumpy. At first all he did was babble nonsense at Integra, but she still managed to catch the phrase "zombie" repeated multiple times. So, the young knight decided to stick around and see if she could figure out what was going on.

After a couple of minutes, the exterminator calmed down and began to make more sense. "We got a call from the school. They said they had a rodent infestation in the old gym. So, we came to take care of the problem, but when we got there... the rats they... they were dead... but not dead, living dead. Zombies, I tell you. Zombies! Zombie rats everywhere! They came at us from all directions. We... we did our best to fight them off, but our poisons were next to useless! They got two of us, swarmed all over them and began feasting on their flesh. It... It was horrible. The rest of us ran. Thank God the rats were so slow. We thought we'd be safe once we made it out the door, but... But then the birds came. Horrible disgusting, half eaten birds! There weren't nearly as many of them, six maybe ten in all. But they were much faster. I'm... I'm the only one who made it."

_'Zombie' rats and half eaten birds? It sounds like an infestation all right, but an infestation of the undead. _Integra just knew her own 'pet' was somehow involved in this. She'd have to have a talk with Alucard, but first there was a wounded survivor to tend to. If the mini-Hellsing remembered her 'extracurricular studies' correctly, the undead would not come out in the daylight; and that gave her time.

The young knight extended her hand to the soul survivor. "Come on. Lets get you to the nurse."

The man took the offered hand and let Integra help him up, but then he stared at her with his 'shell shocked' eyes. "What... what about the zombies?"

"Don't worry about them. They'll be taken care of."

"Taken care of? Taken care of! No, you don't understand."

"No, **you** don't understand. We've got to get you to the nurse immediately and make sure there are no bite marks."

The man turned and grabbed the young knight by her shoulders. "Bite marks! Bite marks! Look in my eyes child. I'm forty-five years old. I spent twenty years in her Majesty's armed forces. I've fought in battles across four continents, and... and I'm trebling. I've never seen anything like that before. No, not like that. Those... Those things, they are from Hell itself, I tell you. Hell itself! And you're worried about bite marks?"

Integra took a deep breath and did her best to stifle her temper. Through grit teeth, the young knight replied, "If they bit you, you'll be turning into one of them soon. We need to get you to the nurse. Now!"

The man wasn't sure what, but something in the teenage woman's eyes said that she knew exactly what she was talking about; and there was a commanding tone in her voice. The man found himself subconsciously saluting. "Yes, Sir!" He replied and then went with her to see the nurse.

* * *

Integra was both mildly surprised and pleased to discover that the man, who's name she'd been told was Ferguson, was free from any bite marks. It seemed the old veteran would indeed live to fight another day... even if it was just against the evil forces of rodents.

After leaving Ferguson, Integra set off to break a promise that she'd made to herself. Even though his punishment was not yet over, the Hellsing heir was going to return to her room and talk to her 'pet' vampire.

Five minutes later a very upset Integra burst into her dorm room. Immediately, her 'pet', in Alison form, jumped and exclaimed, "It's not what it looks like!"

Integra arched one eyebrow at the thirteen inch tall Lego castle in the center of the room and overcome by surprise couldn't help but comment, "You... you're playing... with Legos!"

A rare look of embarrassment passed over 'Alison's' face and she, almost sheepishly replied. "I... I got bored." The monster looked back over at the colorful replica of what had once been Poenari Castle. "Really bored." Alison offered up, sounding somewhat apologetic.

"Where did you even get-" Alison opened her mouth, getting ready to reply, but Integra cut her off. "No, on second thought, I don't want to know."

The young knight briefly wondered if perhaps a week of solitary confinement had been just a bit too much for her vampire's rather fragile sanity. But then the knight shook her head and refocused on the issue at hand. "The old gym." Integra stated and just barely caught a flash of concern upon her servant's face before the vampire managed to cover it up.

"What about it?"

"Something you want to tell me?" The knight asked, glaring down at her servant.

"I." The vampire paused for a brief moment. "I do not believe so, Master."

"You've been slipping out, haven't you!" The knight accused.

Her servant seemed to take offense at the accusation. "Why, most certainly not, Master. I have born my punishment like a 'good pet' and done exactly as you instructed."

Integra eyed the vampire suspiciously. "Then why are there ghoulish rats and birds infesting the old gym. Honestly, you've got plenty of blood packets. Must you hunt live prey? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? The school hired a team of exterminators to clear out the rodents. Only man one made it out alive!"

"Then the vampire has expanded it's undead army to include humans. Master, you must lift my punishment and allow me to deal with this situation before it gets any worse. Your life could be in danger!" Alison replied with a sense of urgency that caught her master off guard.

"You... you really aren't responsible for the infestation, are you?"

"No, Master. At least, not directly."

"And what, exactly, is that suppose to mean!"

Although it was completely unnecessary from a biological standpoint, Alison took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You remember the chicken I ate my first day here? It was overcooked, and I threw it up then went out for some fresh air, hoping it would calm my stomach. Well, while I was outside, I happened upon a stray cat and well..."

Integra pinched the brim of her nose, causing her glasses to raise slightly. "Oh, Alucard, no. Please tell me you didn't... 'feed' off the cat."

"Well, Master, my blood packets hadn't arrived yet... and I needed something to wash the taste of overcooked meat from my mouth."

_I can't be hearing this. I just can't. It's too ridiculous... even for him. _Integra thought to herself.

Her servant continued, "Everything would've been fine, Master... if I hadn't been interrupted before I was finished. I was going to consume the cat completely, and there would've been no evidence left behind. But I was forced to cut my feeding short and quickly get rid of the animal."

Integra shook her head again. "Why didn't you come back for it later?"

"Well, I didn't exactly... Um, know that my vampiric nature could be passed on to animals. Hehe."

"Unbelievable." Integra groaned, brought her hand up and massaged her now aching head. "Un-freaken-believable. So, there's been a vampire cat loose on campus for the better part of a fortnight?"

Alison didn't answer. Instead the vampire made a grin, akin to a small child who'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Oh, that's just great. That's just bloody fantastic! And when, exactly, were you planning on telling me this?"

"I wasn't." Alison stated and Integra's eyes narrowed at the vampire. She continued, "I was going to deal with the problem the moment my punishment was up, and then..."

"And then I'd never know you accidentally sired a kitten." Alison offered up another roguish smile, and Integra nearly lost it. "Oh, I swear you are the most... there, there just aren't any words to..." The young knight sighed and paused before continuing in a quieter tone. "Just stay here and **try** not to cause anymore problems." The young knight turned and began to head for the door.

"Wait, Master! Where are you going?!" The vampire almost yelled.

"To clean up your mess." The knight replied, without turning back to her pet.

"No, Master you can't!" The vampire nearly pleaded.

Now the young knight turned, her eyes practically aflame. "I can't?" The knight advanced on her pet. "Do not presume to tell me what I can and can not do, vampire!"

Alison's eyes sparkled and her lips curled as she stared up at her glaring, fuming master. But realizing it was neither the time nor the place to indulge in her own perverted enjoyment, the vampire calmly replied. "You misunderstand me, Master. I simply meant that you are not yet ready to face the undead. Allow me to..."

"**You** are to remain in this room. Your punishment isn't over yet."

"But... but, Master, what if... what if something happens to you?"

Recognizing genuine concern in her servant's face, the young knight softened slightly. "Relax. I have no desire to get myself killed... or turned. **If** I require your assistance... I will call for you. But otherwise, you are to remain here." The young knight stated firmly but somewhat kindly. Then she mused more to herself than her servant. "After all, with three years of training, you'd think I'd be able to handle a vampire cat." Integra half laughed, half scoffed at the absurdity of what she was about to fight.

Then the young knight turned back around and headed for the door. Upon reaching it, the mini-Hellsing cast one last look at her pet. "Oh, and if you are looking for something to keep your mind occupied, try thinking about just how I'm going to punish you for this one." The knight looked away from her pet and smirked as she exited the door. _Gotta come up with something, especially nasty for him siring a vampire and then keeping it a secret from me._

_

* * *

_Not having any of her specialized vampire hunting weapons with her at the school, Integra's first stop was the gardener's shed. The young knight figured it would be the best place to find raw materials she could make use of. Integra reached the shed and cast a look up at the sun. Satisfied that she still had a few hours to jerry rig some 'tools' together, the mini-Hellsing removed a bobby pin from her hair and was about to set to work on the shed's padlock when she discovered that it had already been opened. The knight raised one eyebrow then slowly opened the door and looked inside.

"Okay, now I attach the motorcycle hand break to the pilot light and weld the lawnmower blade into place." Steve commented to himself as he sat, hunched over a bizarre looking contraption.

"What do you think you're doing?" Integra asked while tapping her foot.

The geek jumped at the sound of another's voice and turned to the young knight. "I'm going to save the school." He proudly stated.

"Ahuh, and how, exactly, are you planning on doing that?" The young knight asked in a bemused tone.

"While I was in the nurse's office, I overheard someone talking about zombies in the old gym."

"Surely, you don't believe in zombies?" The leader of an undead slaying organization asked the geek before her.

(Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks.

Next chapter: Integra vs the undead and the vampire kitty's fate is revealed. Stay tuned for **EXTERMINATION!**

PS. I'm just curious if anyone reading this knows what Steve's building yet. I'll give you a hint. It involves a Bethesda video game. LoL.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)


	12. Extermination!

**Extermination!**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

"Surely, you don't believe in zombies?" The leader of an undead slaying organization asked the geek before her.

* * *

"Well, why not? Rumor has it Sally was attacked by some kind of hell hound a few days ago. Are zombies that big a stretch? And the exterminator sounded serious."

_Hell hound huh? Well, I guess that explains Alucard leaping into my room as a big, black dog. I told him not to feed on the students! Honestly, doesn't that vampire listen to a thing his master says!_ "So, you figured you'd hook a bunch of junk together into a... whatever that is and use it to 'save the school'?"

"Well, why not? Can't I be a hero?"

Integra looked the geeky teenager up and down before replying, "Hardly. Trust me, you are not cut out for the monster slaying business." As Steve's face fell into a slight frown, Integra took a couple of steps forward and examined what he was building more closely. "Still, that doesn't mean you can't contribute to the fight. This may prove useful." Integra picked up the lawnmower blade that was now welded to the motorcycle handbrake, which seemed to form a trigger/handle. "What exactly is it?"

Steve seemed to perk up slightly. "I call it a Shishkebab! It's basically a flaming sword like my D&D character wields. Zombies are suppose to be vulnerable to flame, so I figured it would work well."

"It might at that." Integra's lip curled into a slight smile. "How long will it take you to finish?"

"Not very long, maybe a half hour. I've still got to hook up the motorcycle gas tank."

"What the... What do you need a motorcycle gas tank for?"

Steve looked at Integra as if she'd asked something as foolish as why a television would need a screen. "To hold the gasoline that's used to coat the lawnmower blade and ignited by the pilot light." Steve stared at Integra for a moment.

"Uh, right. Of course." Integra tried to bluff. "Well, you better get to it then."

"Righty-o." Steve replied as he went back to work.

A half hour later, Steve was putting the finishing touches on his invention. He squeezed the motorcycle hand brake and the gas coating the lawnmower blade ignited. Steve smiled and made a couple of tentative swings. Then he released the 'trigger' mechanism and the flame died out. The geek turned to the young knight, his face nearly beaming with pride. "Alright. It's ready."

Integra raised her head and got up from the corner she was sitting down in. She walked over to Steve, and he started mounting the gasoline tank on her back. As the geek was tightening the gas tank's straps, the young knight turned her head to him, "Hey... I just thought of something. This thing won't explode, will it?"

Steve's brow knit. "Uh, no... Perfectly safe... I think."

Somehow the geek's comments did little to reassure the young knight. "Great." Integra replied in a sarcastic tone.

"You know," Steve began as he tightened the last strap. "You may want to go get your roommate."

Integra's eyes went wide. "M-my roommate?"

"Alison"

"A-Alison... why would you say that? What have you heard?!" The young knight demanded.

"Heard? Nothing." The geek shrugged before continuing. "But saw... Now, that's another story."

"You saw Alu- er, Alison fighting zombies?" Integra asked in a concerned tone.

Steve just laughed. "Zombies? Oh, my no. Just the bullies who were harassing me... and the other chess club members. But man, if you'd seen that babe in action..." Steve exclaimed before continuing in a more subdued tone. "Well, I'm sure she could be of great help."

"I don't doubt it." Integra replied in a begrudging tone before continuing, "Unfortunately, that... 'babe' is... unreachable right now." The young knight lied.

* * *

When Integra reached the old gym, the sun was just starting to set, casting a warm, orange and red glow upon the sky. It would take the better part of two hours before it's light completely vanished. _Plenty of time to clean up this mess before the infection spreads any further. _The young knight thought as she slowly opened the front door.

Integra took a careful look around and was pleased to discover that most of the creatures, even the recently turned exterminators, were leaning against various objects or lying on the floor. _Good they're still in 'rest' mode. That'll make this much easier._

The young knight slowly entered and, with all the grace she'd learned as a well to do Englishwoman, silently stalked through the building. If she could just find the vampire cat, she could end the nightmare, her 'pet' had plunged the school into, with a single strike. The dark power that animated ghoul's dead bodies vanished with the 'death' of their sire. If she could just find the vampire cat. If only... Alas, Integra was never that lucky.

One of the ghoulish rodents slipped from the rafter above and fell into the young knight's hair. More out of shock than actual fear, Integra screamed in response. It was really unavoidable; the poor, young knight simply had too much adrenaline running through her system. And unfortunately, although Integra easily shook the one ghoulish rat out of her hair, her scream had alerted the entire undead army.

The young knight squeezed the handle of her makeshift flaming sword, praying that Steve had been right about it not blowing her up; and the corner of her lip curled as the blade erupted into a red and blue flame, illuminating a small circle around her. "You want it? Come get it!" The mini-Hellsing shouted as she charged and waded through the mass of undead flesh with a furry and precision that came from the generations of undead slayers that proceeded her.

As the young knight swung at the undead horde and the ghoulish vermin fell before her, bursting into flames, Integra realized that her 'pet' had been right about one thing.** It was fun.** The mini-Hellsing gave off a slight chuckle as she lashed out at the air, slashing three 'zombie' birds. And despite all the build up, it didn't seem that hard either; but then things took a turn for the worse.

The recently turned exterminators joined the fray; and unlike the small rodents and birds, they did not come empty handed. The ghouls charged the young knight with wooden boards, pipes, metal conduit... anything they could rip loose from the old gym building. They were not very fast. But they still managed to block a couple of Integra's blows; and, unlike the small creatures she was fighting before, these 'human' ghouls did not go down from a single hit.

Still, the young knight was determined. She managed to pierce the heart of one, turning him to dust, and slash deeply enough into another to catch his insides on fire. But a third grabbed Integra from behind and held her arms. Integra struggled for a moment, just a moment, before opening her mouth to call for her servant. The mini-Hellsing was proud, but not so proud that she would sooner die... or worse, than ask for help. However, before she had the chance to shout, there was the sound of a gunshot behind her.

The left arm of the ghoul holding Integra exploded, and the young knight fell to the floor. At first she thought her servant had seen the trouble she was in and, disobeying a direct order from her, had come before she called. The mini-Hellsing wasn't sure whether to be angry at her 'pet'... or grateful.

But then she heard a familiar voice, one not belonging to her servant, call out, "Sorry, Mike. But we took a job... and it needs finishing." Integra looked over to see not Alucard, but Ferguson standing in the gym's door way. In his hands the war veteran, turned exterminator, turned zombie slayer held a twelve gage, pump action shotgun; and his face looked sad, yet determined, as he unloaded another round into his once comrade. One of the buckshot balls must've pierced the ghoul's heart, for he dissolved into a pile of dust.

Integra reached over and reclaimed the handle of her Shishkebab before using it to sever the right leg of the last 'human' ghoul. The 'zombie' fell to the floor and Integra used the opportunity to skewer his heart. Having dealt with the last 'human' ghoul, Integra moved back and joined forces with Ferguson. "I thought you went home."

"I did." Ferguson pumped the shotgun, discharging a spent cartridge, before continuing with a slight grin. "That's where I keep my gun." The exterminator put a hand on the young knight's shoulder. "Come on, lets get you out of here."

But Integra just shook the hand off. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, and disposing of these... unclean souls is my business."

The exterminator gave the young knight a slightly patronizing look. "Awfully young to have a business, aren't you?"

"Family business!" The mini-Hellsing spat. "Or do you know the proper technique to slay a vampire?" She challenged.

Ferguson sighed. "No, I suppose I don't. We work together then?"

"Alright." Integra relented. She'd already gotten herself into one compromising position, and the shotgun wielding exterminator could come in handy if it happened again. If he proved really useful she might even offer him a job with Hellsing. He did seem to be made of 'the right stuff'.

So the two continued through the gym, cleansing it of unclean souls, until finally encountering the vampire cat that had caused all the trouble. The cat leapt at Integra, but a shotgun blast sent it flying in a different direction. The young knight ran over and quickly jammed her blade into the vampire cat.

Unfortunately, she missed the creature's small heart. Instead of an instant death, the small vampire kitty lay there, pinned to the floor, it's insides being ravaged by flames. It let out a pitiful, weak, almost pleading, "Meow." And, despite her training and heritage, Integra couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor creature. The young knight lightly bit her lip as the creature looked up at her with an expression on its face that would've made any lesser woman tear up.

* * *

***Slam!*** The door of Integra's... and Alison's dorm room was roughly flung open. "You." The young knight growled as she pointed an accusing finger at her 'pet'.

"Me?" Alison pointed to 'herself'.

"Yes, you! You evil, disobedient vampire!" Integra shouted without fear of being overheard since her and Alison were the only two 'people' in the building, everyone else in Britten House having better things to do with their Saturday than hang around their dorm rooms.

"Master, that's unfair. When have I disobeyed you?"

"You attacked Sally as a hell hound!"

"That was self defense, Master. She was beating on me with a broom."

Integra ignored her 'pet' and continued, "You attacked some bullies who were harassing the chess club!"

"Self defense again, Master. Besides, wouldn't you have wanted me to help those poor, unfortunate geeks." Alison spoke, doing her best to sound sincere but not quite pulling it off.

"Oh don't even try it, Alucard. I know you better than that. You weren't 'helping' those geeks. You were hurting the bullies." Alison opened her mouth again, but Integra cut the vampire off. "And... you sired a vampire cat, costing four exterminators their lives!"

As a last ditch attempt to defend herself, Alison took a piece of paper from her pocket, unfolded it and replied, "Master, show me where I have violated any of your rules."

The move seemed to only further infuriate the young knight, who began to huff. "You... You may not have violated the letter of the rules, but don't try to tell me you didn't know I wouldn't want you to do those things!" Integra was angrier than the vampire had ever seen before, and Alison's eyes sparkled. Perhaps her master would finally snap and 'punish' her appropriately.

"You have been a bad, bad servant, vampire!" The mini-Hellsing shouted. "And now you need to be punished!"

Alison's eyes danced. "Oh yes, Master." The vampire rose and began to walk over to the door. "I've been bad, so very, very bad. Punish me, Master. Punish me." The vampire was nearly drooling as she reached the young knight.

"Oh, I intend to." Integra cooed, and Alison lit up like a Christmas tree. But then the vampire's face fell as she felt something small and hairy being thrust into her chest.

Alison's hand went up, instinctively, to grab the object. Then the ancient vampire looked down to see the vampire cat lying in it's arms. The cat had a large wound in its gut, but it was already beginning to heal. And around the feline's mouth, Integra's wrist watch had been secured into a makeshift muzzle. Alison looked back up at her master, a confused expression on the vampire's face. "What... What is this thing still doing alive?"

"That... thing is **your** punishment." Integra replied with a sly smile.

The ancient vampire used one hand to lift the cat up by the scruff of its neck, and took another look at it. "**This** is my punishment?"

"Yes, Vampire. It's time you learned to accept responsibility for your actions. You sired this cat, and now..." Integra paused for a moment before continuing, "You are going to take care of it."

Alison's eyes went wide with shock. "Master, you... you can not be serious."

"Oh, but I am." The mini-Hellsing purred. "You are going to take care of the cat. You are going to feed her... the **proper way**, teach her not to make ghouls. Train her so that she doesn't go around attacking people. Name her, clean her, clean up after her, clip her nails if they get too long. And, if vampire animals still leave... little 'presents', **you**... are going to change a litter box." Integra finished her instructions and made a satisfied smirk when she saw the look on her own 'pet's' face. "Those are my orders."

Integra turned and started to walk away. Halfway down the hall, she turned around then marched back to her jaw dropped servant. "Oh, and if **anything** happens to that cat, I will be a grandma by the time you're let back out of your cell. Is that understood?"

Alison gulped. Then sighed, "Yes, Master."

(Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks.

PS. This Shishkebab is not mine. It's a buildable weapon in Bethesda's Fallout 3.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

(To Blue Bear: LoL. Don't worry. I was never planning on killing the vampire kitty. :) Thanks for the reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy this.)


	13. Cat and Mouse

**Cat and Mouse.**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

"Here, Bastet. Look what I brought for you." 'Alison' said while holding a furry little hamster in 'her' outstretched arm.

A black cat scurried out from under the bottom bunk bed and rubbed itself against the girl's leg. The cat purred, and the vampire bent down to pet it... but only once. Then Alison looked over at the plump little hamster who was squirming in her, still outstretched, hand. Obviously, the rodent didn't like being held so close to one of its natural predators.

Alison's lip curled as she dropped the small creature, and it started to run for the door. With a single bound, the cat leapt in between the rodent and the doorway. It hissed at the small creature, and the rodent quickly decided to change direction. The cat took off after the hamster.

Although the cat could've used its vampiric speed to easily overtake the small rodent and begin feasting right away, it chose not to. Rather the feline played a little game of cat and mouse with its prey, blocking any attempt by the latter to escape but not closing in for the kill. Instead the cat carefully and methodically backed the rodent up into a corner. Then, with a predatory gleam in its eyes, the cat inched ever closer to its cornered prey.

Alison watched her pet with an amused and approving look. Bastet seemed to enjoy playing with her food just as much as the ancient vampire did. It was a quality that Alison found **almost** endearing. In fact, although the pet had been forced upon her as a form of 'punishment' and the vampire had originally found the idea utterly repulsive, she eventually warmed up to the creature. It still had annoying moments, cleaning times for example; but having the vampire kitty for a pet wasn't all bad. At least it gave her some company when her own master confined the ancient vampire to her room or went somewhere and refused to let Alison tag along. _Yes, all in all there were worse punishments my master could've chosen to inflect upon me_. The vampire mused as the cat finally pounced on its prey.

Bastet sunk her fangs into the rodent's throat, and the hamster's leg spasmed uncontrollably as its blood was drained away. After a moment, the spasming leg stopped moving; and the cat released the small rodent, who fell lifelessly to the floor. The cat then licked its lips, lapping up the few stray drops of blood, turned and began to walk away from the dead rodent.

Bastet did not get far, however. After taking a few steps, the vampire kitty looked up to see its master towering over it. "Meow?"

"You know what." Alison spoke in an authoritative tone then pointed at the drained rodent. "Go back and finish your meal. You know how Master hates it when you leave... 'leftovers'." The ancient vampire continued in a firm but not angry voice.

"Meow." The cat replied and rubbed itself against the vampire's leg again.

Alison remained firm. "Don't even try it." The vampire pointed at the dead rodent again and began to tap her foot impatiently. "March."

The cat let out one final, "Meow." as it hung it's head, walked back over to the rodent and began to devour the creature's far less appetizing body.

Alison stood where she was and insured that her pet ate every last bite. Then the vampire walked over to the cat, bent down, scooped the feline up and ran a hand down its back. "Good girl." Alison pet her cat a couple more times before setting it down on the bottom bunk. "Now you behave yourself while I go to my classes, you hear?"

"Meow."

"Good." Alison replied and rubbed the cat's head. "Did you remember to retract your fangs?"

"Meow."

"Let me see." Alison replied as she pulled the cat's lips back and examined its teeth. "Good. You're learning." The vampire stood, slung her book bag over one shoulder and headed for the door. Alison opened the door then turned her head and cast one last look at the cat, which was cleaning itself on her bed. "I'll be back at three. Try to stay out of trouble till then."

"Meow?"

"Yeah, you." And with that, the ancient vampire left and closed the door behind her.

As Alison exited Britten house, she found Steve waiting by the doorstep. Alison rolled her eyes as Steve asked, "Walk you to class?"

The vampire didn't answer; but she pulled the book bag off her shoulder and tossed it to the geek, a silent acceptance of his offer.

As the vampire walked through the school campus, she noticed that she'd been feeling rather... satisfied of late. True her life was pretty mundane at the moment, but she had her master, a pet of her own, and a geeky semi-'boyfriend' to torment. 'Alison' wouldn't let Steve touch 'her', of course... at least not in any intimate way, not since the one time she'd danced with him; but he was a fun toy to play with from time to time. And if she ever felt like getting out or going some place, she had someone who was more than willing to pay her way... which was good considering the vampire, unlike her master, received no allowance.

In truth Alison and Steve had developed a... 'relationship' not completely unlike Bastet and the hamster. Steve was fun to... 'play' with, and he had his uses. But in the end, he was nothing more than a toy, something to offer a little amusement. Of course, their relationship wouldn't end quite the same way as Bastet and the hamster's had. _No, __ABSOLUTELY__ no 'feeding' on people!_ The vampire remembered her third rule.

But if... when Alison grew tired of the geek, he would be cast off without a second thought... or a first for that matter. However, that's not too say that Alison was a complete 'parasite'. Once rumor got around that the two of them had been hanging out ... and even going out on occasional 'dates', no one dared pick on Steve. None of the bullies were willing to risk ending up like Lance and his friend. Also 'dating' someone who **looked** like 'Alison' had done wonders to bolster Steve's meager reputation.

When the two reached the building that housed Alison's first class of the day, she extended her arm; and Steve unslung the vampire's book bag from around his shoulder. He handed it to her. Different classes and schedules prevented the two from going any further together. "See you at lunch?" Steve asked hopefully.

Alison rolled her eyes again, but then nodded. Steve smiled, turned then walked away; and Alison continued on by herself.

As Alison passed three people, who were handing out fliers, her curiosity got the better of her. The vampire slowed for a moment and looked the group over. There were three of them. One older man, a boy who looked to be in his mid-teens and a girl, about the same. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary about the group except for the fact they were at Alison's school, passing out fliers. But then the older man turned, and something about his collar caught the vampire's eye. The man was a priest, a Catholic priest most likely... and at a protestant school! Well, Alison decided to find out just what was going on with that.

The vampire wasn't about to approach the priest. The odds of him being able to tell what 'she' really was were long; but there was no point in taking chances, not when she didn't know what she might be getting into and her master was close enough to be put in danger. So Alison approached the teenage boy instead. "May I have one of those?" The vampire indicated the stack of fliers and held out her hand.

The teenage boy looked at the vampire, and seemed lost for a moment. "Uh... I... Uh... What?"

"I asked for one of those fliers."

"Uh... Yeah... My name is Enrico Maxwell, and I'm an Acolyte... And I'm... Uh..."

Alison sighed. She'd asked for a flier, not this obviously dimwitted kid's life story. "Are you deaf... or something?"

"Huh?"

"Errr. Never mind. I'll get it myself." Alison reached over to pull one of the papers from the stack, and her hand accidentally brushed against Maxwell's. The boy's left eye winced, and the rest of his papers slipped out of his grasp.

Alison shook her head as Maxwell bent to pick up the papers and the priest turned. The vampire hid her face, behind the flier she'd intended to read anyway, just as the priest opened his mouth. "Enrico, we be here ta save dese heathens... not make a mess of deir campus."

"Sorry, Father Anderson. I... She... And... Sorry."

The priest, apparently named Anderson, sighed as Alison skimmed down the flier and isolated the important information. "Catholic Revival Meeting tonight, nine o'clock, in the assembly room. All are invited."

(Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it was a little slow, but I'm trying to transition into a new plot since the vampire kitty saga was pretty much concluded with the last chapter. Well, hope you liked it. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

(To fallenmad: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying this. No, I didn't kill the cat. LoL. In truth, I never intended to. I wanted to give 'Alison' a pet, but trying to do so without breaking character was... challenging. Anyway, glad you've enjoyed this so far. I hope you continue to.)


	14. What a Tangled Web, We Weave

**What a Tangled Web, We Weave**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**AN:** I owe a big thanks to ladykirie, who provided me with a large chunk of this chapter.

'Alison' entered the school building and immediately crumpled up the flier and tossed it into the nearest trash can; but no sooner had 'she' turned away from the trash can and started towards her first class than a voice behind her asked, "So, uh are you coming?"

Alison stopped and turned to see the boy, who she'd taken the flier from, standing right behind her. Obviously the dimwitted kid had followed her inside. "I don't think so." Alison replied as she turned and began to walk away.

Enrico ran around and blocked her path. "Why not?"

Alison stopped and stared at the boy for a minute. _Who the hell does he think he is to block __**my**_ _path?!_ The vampire's hand formed into a fist, but then she remembered her master's rules. Through grit teeth, the vampire replied, "I'm busy... and Church functions aren't really my thing." The vampire stepped around the boy and continued on.

But Enrico just couldn't take a hint. He intercepted her again. "Well, that's probably just because you've been going to Protestant ones. Catholic ones are much more fun."

"Oh really?" Annoyed that the boy had once again blocked her path, Alison's hand went to her hip. "And what makes Catholic ones more fun?" She asked disbelievingly.

"I... Um...." Enrico stopped as his mind desperately searched for something to back up his previous statement. "We... We have punch." Enrico said with a smile.

"Punch, huh? Yeah... sounds 'wild'." Alison replied sarcastically and walked around the boy for a third time. And for a third time he circled around and got in front of her.

_This little twerp just won't leave me alone. I should drain him dry and leave his body twitching on the floor. Oh, Master, why did you have to tie my hands? 'No, __ABSOLUTELY_ _no 'feeding' on people!' 'No picking fights.' 'No harassing the clergy'. Awfully considerate of you. And what am I suppose to do if one of them is harassing me?! _Alison sighed. "Why are you so concerned with whether or not I go anyway?"

"It'd just be such a shame for someone as pretty as you to end up in Hell." The boy replied with a sly grin.

A brief look of surprise washed over Alison's face. So that was it. The little twerp was attracted to 'her'. Like she really needed to deal with a crushing, Catholic Altar Boy. Someone training for catholic priesthood developing a crush on a vampire? Actually, it was kind of funny once she stopped and thought about it. Were the circumstances different, the vampire would've shifted back into 'her' seven foot tall, male vampire form and growled at the little twerp. Alison let out a little laugh as 'she' pictured that. _He'd probably have a heart attack._ But unfortunately, Integra had also seen fit to put in a 'no shape-shifting in public' rule. In fact, the vampire couldn't even flash 'her' fangs. _Let's see. I've got an annoying, Catholic acolyte in my way and I can't drain his blood, hurt him... or even scare him off. How the hell am I suppose to handle this?!_

Almost as if in answer to the vampire's unspoken question, the class bell went off. Alison's lip curled slightly. _Saved by the bell._ "Oops, class is starting. I've got to get going." Enrico's face dropped with disappointment, but other than that he failed to move. "You wouldn't want to make me late for class, would you?"

"No. Of course not." Enrico replied as he stepped aside and bowed deeply. Alison sighed and continued on to her class.

Never before had the vampire been so glad to get to her advanced math class. She was the last one in, and Professor Mortease raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. But he said nothing. Miss Alison Vlad was one of his best students, and it was the first time she'd been late. So Mortease figured he could cut her a little slack.

Alison took her seat and looked over, almost sadly, at the vacant one next to her. Integra had been transferred back into the regular math class only a week after being pushed into the advanced one. The young knight just couldn't keep up with the other students. Integra was an unusually gifted woman, but it seemed that math wasn't one of her many strengths. Alison had wanted to transfer back into the regular class too.

It wasn't that the vampire couldn't keep up. Once someone explained the basic concepts to her, she'd discovered that she actually had quite a knack for math, but she was only in school to stay close to her master and had little interest in attending a class without the young knight. However, Integra insisted Alison stay in the advanced class. It was how the Mini-Hellsing chose to punish the vampire for getting them thrown into it to start with.

Still the class wasn't all bad. The vampire had always enjoyed beating other people; and although scoring higher than the rest of the class on a test wasn't as big a thrill as tearing someone's limbs off in a fight, it was still a victory. Alison had even wondered a few times if it was actually a better reflection of her superiority, for she was competing on a level playing field. Well, she could cheat if she wanted to... but the victories was so much sweeter without resorting to mind reading.

Alison sat through her class patiently and listened intently to the professor's lecture on the Lorentz transformation. If she knew Professor Mortease, and she did, there would be a test on it within the next couple of days. In fact, Alison was so engrossed in her studying that she'd almost forgotten about the annoying, Catholic acolyte... that was until her first class was over, and she found him waiting outside the door.

Alison's eyes went wide. "Have... have you been out here the whole time?"

"No. I went back to help Father Anderson distribute more fliers. I only just got back."

"How'd you know when my class would be over?"

"I asked." Enrico replied with a shrug. "So, have you given any more thought to the revival meeting tonight?"

Alison sighed and began to head towards a nearby door. "Don't you have other people to harass?"

"None as pretty as you." The boy grinned.

"Aren't you a cheeky one? I thought priests weren't allowed to flirt."

"Well... I'm only an acolyte. Guess that's one of the lessons I haven't learned yet." The boy replied, trying to sound 'smooth'.

"Look, Kid, I really have no interest in you."

"All the more reason you should come to the meeting."

Alison stopped and turned. "Huh?"

"I grow on people."

"Like a fungus?"

"Haha. Good one." The boy replied as Alison reached the door she was headed towards and pulled it open. He started to follow her in. "So, are you..."

The boy was cut off as Alison quickly turned on him. "What do you think you're doing?" The vampire managed to ask with just enough offense in her tone to cause the boy to pause.

"What?" He asked innocently.

Alison pointed to the sign on the door and replied, "Lady's room."

Enrico's face flushed a little. "Oh, sorry. I'll... just wait out here."

Alison could just bet he would too. She turned and let the door slam behind her then went into the far stall and slammed that door too. Then she drove her fist through the building's concrete wall. Needless to say, the vampire was not too happy. She was being stalked! That wasn't suppose to happen. Vampires were suppose to stalk humans... not the other way around. She was suppose to be hunter, not prey; and the role reversal annoyed her to no end. Alison let out a frustrated sigh. Then she sunk through the floor. At least she could give that annoying Catholic the slip and leave him waiting outside the bathroom door.

* * *

Feeling as curious as her 'pet' had, Integra took one of the fliers offered by the nun and started to read it. "Hmmm, 'Revival tonight at 9, come for the pre-party punch, stay and get to know God.' Catchy, give them credit for marketing..." The young knight spoke to herself.

"Actually, if you want to go, I'd be glad to accompany you, mon fleur..." A voice spoke up, and the Mini-Hellsing turned to see her Frenchman, his book bag slung low across his shoulder and a brilliant grin on his face.

Now Miss Hellsing had nothing against a religious organization, even a Catholic one, coming in and attempting to stir up some spirit with the student body, but she'd hardly pegged Pip for the Catholic revival type. "I didn't think that a Church party would be your cup of tea." Integra stated.

"Why not? Technically, my family's very Catholic so I've been to these sort of things before, and didn't we say that we would go out tonight anyways?"

_Hmm, perhaps the idea wouldn't be so bad. Such a wholesome situation would be sure to turn off my 'pet' vampire, and then I could finally enjoy a date in peace for a change._ Pip maneuvered a hand around Integra's shoulder.

"Did I say that you could take such liberties with my person?," The young knight half-teased.

The teenage Frenchman pouted. "Liberte, Egalite, and Fraternity- I'm being very good."

Integra could not help but smile. True he was a bit of a rouge, but a decent one at least. As the pair moved down the crowded corridor, filled with bustling bodies and slamming lockers, Pip shot his free hand up in a greeting to a pretty, red-haired girl.

"Have a good weekend. I'll call you when I get back!" he cried. The girl returned the gesture and continued packing her books.

"So, I see that you're not afraid to show me off to your other girlfriends. I'm flattered."

"She's not a girlfriend anymore."

"I see. So, you're eliminating the competition for me? How thoughtful." Integra teased.

Pip looked slightly hurt. "No. Seriously, we broke up. I don't have the type of feelings for her that I have for...other people."

"Oh?" Integra felt his grip tighten over her shoulder and fingers pressed in oh so slightly.

"I mean, we work better as friends, just friends. She took it kind of hard, but then we realized that we both really do like each other. So why not keep the friendship? It would be stupid to throw that away." He looked at her for a beat,"You're okay with that, yes?"

"You're honest. I like that; and yes, that's fine with me. She seems like a very nice girl." The young knight replied.

"She is. So are you...very nice." The Frenchman whispered.

Heat started to rise off Integra's cheeks. While Pip had said nothing too romantic, nor out of bounds, she felt a stirring up in the pit of her stomach, baby butterflies beginning to bloom. The Frenchman brushed a piece of hair from off Integra's temple and guided her over to an alcove near the water-fountain. While the Mini-Hellsing was neither terribly 'romantic' or sentimental, the sweet, sincere look that radiated off Pip's face and projected through his green eyes was enough to make the entire crowded hallway fade away, leaving only the two of them.

"Integra, I'm getting to know you, and I can say that I haven't felt like this before. You're strong, smart, genuine... and I admire that." He whispered.

She smiled. "Thank you."

"I want to take this slowly, but would you like to start seeing more of each other, maybe something a bit more...," he fished around for the word. "Exclusive?" Integra's brows arched. She had barely been in the company of boys, only having been to one formal in her whole, young, life; and she had an enormous yolk around her neck, a yolk of duty to God and Country. Yet, here was one of the more charming and witty boys asking her to ...what, 'go steady'? Her head was swimming.

"You do realize that I have a very, heavy course-load with school."

"Oui-as do I ."

"And I have training both military and political to attend to at home..."

"I have to get back to Uncle Paul and learn tactics over the summer myself ."

Integra leaned in close to Pip's ear. "And you do, absolutely, realize that I'm not going to be sleeping with you just because... especially because you're cute." A hurt-puppy look plastered across Pip's face.

"Oh, so mean...." he whined. Integra crossed her arms sternly, but then the Frenchman's smile lit up. "Only joking. I told you before how I feel about all that, whatever you feel comfortable with, mon fleur."

"Then yes, let's see how this goes."

"Can we kiss on it?" The Mini-Hellsing's eyebrow shot up disapprovingly.

"On the cheek?" Pip corrected. Integra nodded and leaned in for a soft, light brush of lips against her temple. Her arms began to wrap around his waist and she was about to return the gesture when a cold, probing sensation tickled her mind.

_Right now, he's having a naughty, little fantasy about you two going off into the broom closet and doing all sorts of naughtiness. Let me kick him, please? _Integra froze and turned right into the glinting eyes of her pet vampire.

"Oh, Alision-hi...," The Mini-Hellsing said through grit teeth.

The 'girl' gushed and looked adorable, pushing her fringe of bangs off her forehead and beaming. "I was just on my way to class and spotted you two- how are you, Bernadette?"

"Great! Tegra just agreed to be my steady squeeze- isn't that great?!" He punctuated the announcement with a firm squeeze of his own, making Integra squeak.

Alison's brow knitted. _Great, just great, you had to go slumming and now you're stuck with this perverted, arrogant, French Frog. I cannot believe you master, or should I say 'Tegra'!_

_Hush-mind your manners! He's a good boy and I, personally, like him- he doesn't drive me up a wall or cause trouble, unlike other people I know..._ The vampire looked genuinely hurt. No sooner had the the thought left Integra's mind than the young knight wished that she could take it back.

"I'm a third wheel right now? I guess that means I should leave." The vampire replied, a hurt expression washing over her mouth and eyes.

Integra attempted to speak, but her boyfriend opened up his stupid, well- meaning mouth. "Hey, tonight, we're going to the Catholic pre-party. I don't know if you had plans with Steve, or class work, but we'd love to see you there, grab some punch. Maybe they'll even have a band like last year. What do you think, honey?"

"Um, that sounds great, just great..." Integra's voice trailed off. _Oh Lord, a vampire with a penchant for human blood at a literal virgin convention._ It would be insane, it could be potentially deadly it... But what else could the young knight say? Telling her roommate that 'she' couldn't go to a Catholic 'pre-party', while standing in the middle of a crowed hallway, would've drawn unwanted attention and raised people's suspicions.

(Well, hope you liked the chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)


	15. Catholic Ones Are Much More Fun

**Catholic Ones Are Much More Fun**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**AN: **Ladykirie, sent me another present... unfortunately my spam filter ate it, and I've been unable to contact her for a replacement. So I wasn't able to include anymore of her writing. Sorry.

Integra arrived at the party hoping for the best... but somehow she just knew that her pet vampire would find a way to ruin the evening. Maybe she'd get lucky, and he wouldn't come.

But then the young knight heard a feminine voice call out, "Oh, Tegra, over here!" Under her breath, Integra cursed the fact that Pip had seen fit to give her a pet name. The Mini-Hellsing turned to see 'Alison' waving at her. It was hopeless. That bloody vampire would follow her until the day she died.

Alison rushed over, Steve in tow behind her. "Alison, hi. I was wondering if you'd come."_ And hoping you wouldn't._

_Oh, such a mean master, I have._ "Well, you know me, always up for a little nighttime partying." Alison replied and let out a light giggle.

"Yes, I know." _Just remember your rules... and don't do anything to ruin my date._

_Oh, Master, still holding out hope that the French Frog will turn into a handsome prince? Poor, poor deluded 'Tegra'._

_Stop calling me that. _The young knight mentally growled.

_Why? Don't you like the French Merc's pet name for you? Oh, speak of the devil. _Alison continued as Pip walked over and draped an arm around Integra.

"Hello, Tegra. Sorry I'm a little late."

Integra mentally groaned at being called 'Tegra' again. She would have to have a talk with her... boyfriend later, sometime when her 'pet' was not around to make the situation worse.

Alison, sensing her master's annoyance, just let out an audible giggle.

"So..." Pip began. "What's everyone up to?"

"Nothing much, so far." Steve replied.

"Oh, too bad. Hey, maybe the four of us could..."

"Honey..." Integra interrupted her well meaning boyfriend before he could jam his foot into his mouth again. "Let's go get some punch. I'm thirsty."

Pip smiled at the term of endearment and followed his date over to the refreshment table.

As the two departed Steve called out, "Just be careful. Someone spiked the stuff last year."

Alison was about to follow her master over when the vampire's Catholic 'stalker' popped up and blocked her path. "So... you came after all?" Enrico smiled at the vampire.

"Well, after all your persistent nagging, how could I refuse." Alison replied with a sarcasm that the altar boy either didn't catch or chose to ignore.

"You see there, persistence pays off." Enrico let out a little laugh, before taking Alison's hand and caressing the top of it. "You know, I was thinking, 'We should get to know..."

The acolyte was interrupted as the nun who'd helped to hand out the fliers called to him. "Hey, Enrico, how about giving me a hand setting up the projector?"

The altar boy sighed, before raising Alison's hand and kissing it softly. "I've got to go. Enjoy the party, and I'll meet back up with you as soon as possible."

"Oh, I'll be counting the seconds." Alison sarcastically replied as she wiped the top of her, now freed, hand against the side of her dress.

Enrico smiled again before leaving. Did he just not get sarcasm?

As soon as Enrico was out of ear shot, Steve turned to his date and, sounding a little jealous, asked, "What was all that about?"

Inwardly Alison smiled at Steve's question. Perhaps there was a way to give her 'stalker' what he deserved after all. "Well, it seems that Enrico wants me too. Now which one of you, I wonder, do I like more." The vampire's right hand went up, and she finger tapped her lip in a cute, mock thoughtful gesture. "You've obviously got the brains." Alison spoke as she lightly traced the nails of her left hand across Steve's forehead.

The boy looked lost under the delicate touch. Alison grinned as she quickly pulled the hand away. "But a woman needs more than brains. She needs someone with a little gumption, someone whose not afraid to go for what he wants, someone strong, brave."

"I can be brave!" Steve didn't quite yell, but replied in a defensive tone.

Alison let out a little giggle. "You? Please. Listen, Steve, you're a nice guy, and I like you..." Alison rested a hand lightly on Steve's shoulder before she continued, "But unfortunately, in this world, nice guys finish last." The vampire then spun around the outside of Steve's body. "And I just can't see myself staying with a loser... I need someone who's aggressive enough to see something he wants... and go for it, someone like Enrico."

"But...But..." Steve stammered.

And Alison put a finger to the boy's lips to hush him. "Now. Now. Don't be like that. Just try to remember the good times, 'kay?" The vampire then started to walk over towards Enrico, leaving a pouting Steve in her wake. "Ciao." Alison exclaimed as she half heartedly waved good-bye.

Steve just stood there for a moment, sniffling and trying to keep from bursting out in tears. Then he ran over to the punch bowl and prayed that someone had spiked it like last year. When Steve reached the large beverage bowl, he grabbed a cup and, not even bothering with the serving ladle, dunked it into the bright red liquid. He then quickly raised it, brought it to his lips and began to gulp it down.

The geek was pleasantly surprised to find that, in deed, someone had spiked the punch. It was the only thing that night that had gone his way.

Steve downed his first cupful, then drank a second. But by the third he was only sipping. Well, sipping and glaring at the Catholic altar boy who'd stolen 'his woman'. It wasn't fair! For the first time in the young geek's life, everything was going well. The bullies were leaving him alone, he had a 'hot girlfriend' and even the popular kids were starting to acknowledge his existence. Just who did this Enrico think he was to swoop in and take all that away?

Steve took another sip and began to envy those who could read lips. He had no idea what Enrico was saying, but the geek noticed Alison start to giggle. She seemed to be enjoying herself, enjoying herself with that other boy; and that really got under Steve's skin. "She wants aggressive? Well I'll show her aggressive." The geek growled to no one in particular. Then he downed the remainder of his punch in one gulp and made his way over to the two 'love birds'.

Things seemed to be going well for Enrico Maxwell. Alison was finally beginning to warm up to him. She'd even laughed at his 'Rabbi, Priest and Minister' joke. The altar boy smiled in pride. It was true; he did grow on people. Why, given enough time, he could charm anyone. It was a skill that the acolyte assumed would take him far. Maybe one day he'd even possess the prized Triple Crown!

Enrico smiled again as he imagined himself as Pope... and all the power such a position would bring; but then the altar boy's fantasy world, of kneeling kings and untold riches, was shattered by a light tapping on his back.

Enrico turned to shoe the pest away, and then he saw it... a small fist headed straight at his 'precious', 'beautiful' face. The acolyte tried to duck, but he just wasn't fast enough. The fist collided with his nose, and Enrico heard a crackling sound in his skull. As the altar boy tumbled to the floor, the crackling sound was replaced by an immense pain coming from the front of his face; and a wet, warm liquid began to flow down his upper lip.

"Keep you're hand's off my girl." The partially intoxicated Steve growled.

The corner of Alison's lip pulled into a proud smile, and then the vampire licked her lips as the smell of Enrico's barely virgin blood assaulted her senses.

The altar boy's hand unconsciously drifted up to wipe at the blood leaking into his slightly parted mouth as he stared up at the geeky looking boy who'd sucker punched him. "You... you broke my nose." Enrico said sounding shocked. But then he exclaimed, "You'll pay for that!" And the altar boy leapt at the geek.

The two boys rolled on the floor, each one throwing punches at the other. Neither had any training... or even knew precisely what they were aiming for. The fight was not one that would be fought by athletes... or even brawlers. It was simply adrenalin fueled instinct that drove their punches and dulled their pain.

It was a savage leftover from a more barbaric time, a time when a man did not woo a woman, but had to fight for a mate. And as those primitive impulses took full control of the two boys. They growled and howled; punched and bit. Gone were the restraints of civilization, and the two boys... the two boys were reduced to little more than two wolves fighting over... what they believed to be the pack's female alpha.

Alison, of course, enjoyed every second of it. For the first time, since those 'troublesome Catholics' invaded her school, the vampire was having a grand old time.

Of course, two boys rolling around on the floor, beating each other like wild animals was not a sight that would go unnoticed. Soon, they attracted the attention of everyone around them. Anderson rushed over to the battling boys and... **nearly** squealing 'girl'.

The Catholic priest seized each of the boys in his strong hands and lifted them from the floor. He held them as far apart as he could, but still they struggled and squirmed in an attempt to reach the other and continue their fight. After a few seconds, however, Anderson had had enough. "What in de name of all tat tis' pure and holy do ye two think you're doing?!" He roared, and suddenly the boys snapped out of their savage rage.

Steve was the first to reply. "He's trying to steal my girlfriend!" The boy yelled as he cast a murderous glare at the acolyte.

"And what makes you think she's your girlfriend?! What could a woman like that possibly see in a runt like you?!" Enrico shot back before thinking.

Once again Steve struggled to reach the other boy. But Anderson's grip held fast; and as Steve saw the way the priest was looking at the acolyte, the geek calmed somewhat.

"Ye were hitting on girls again, Enrico?" Anderson cast the altar boy a hard look.

"No... I was just..." The acolyte started to deny the accusation, but then realized that he'd already given himself away.

"How many times do I have ta tell ye, 'A man of de Church must lead a celibate life.'? Why can't ye get tat threw your head?"

"I know, Father, but I was only...." Enrico began again but stopped as Anderson sadly shook his head.

The priest sighed and dropped the two boys. "Apologize to de other boy." He commanded.

"What? No!" Enrico protested.

"Apologize." Anderson insisted, and finally his acolyte gave in. The altar boy turned to the geek and, through grit teeth, mumbled an insincere apology. "Good..." Anderson continued. "Now go wait by de car."

"But, Father..."

"Go wait by de car." Anderson repeated as he pointed at the building's nearest exit.

Enrico sighed, then hung his head as he headed for the door.

"And I expected ta find ye still sayin' your 'Hail Marys' when I come out ta'ere."

Meanwhile Integra (who had reached the scene a while ago but, like everyone else, had been too focused on watching Enrico get reprimanded to do much else) finally turned to her 'pet'. The young knight shook her head at the vampire. "Why do I get the feeling you started all this on purpose?" Integra whispered.

_Oh, Master, you know me too well._ The vampire chuckled in the Mini-Hellsing's head.

Integra sighed and shook her head again. _You do realize that I'm going to have to punish you for ruining another one of my dates, right?_

_I suppose I expected as much, Master. But you know what? _Alison paused for a moment._ It was worth it. _The vampire finished before letting out a giggle.

(Well sorry, that it took me so long to update. :( But I hope you liked the chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)


	16. Bonus Chapter: Living in a Dream World

**Bonus Chapter: Living in a Dream World.**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**AN:** Well I was finally able to receive ladykirie's gift. Unfortunately, we're already past the part of the story the gift was written for. :( However, it was just too good to leave on the cutting room floor. So I decided to include a bonus, dream sequence chapter. Both the beginning and very end of this take place in the 'real world', but the rest is all a product of Integra's subconscious mind. The separations should be pretty obvious. Well, hope you enjoy.

PS. I've had to add and change some stuff, but more than half of this chapter is brought to you courtesy of ladykirie. Well, without further adieu... on with the story. :)

"Damn him!" Integra loudly growled as she slammed the door to her room. _Damn that bloody vampire... even if such a thing is redundant._

He'd done it to her again, ruined another of her dates, and what was even worse? The young knight couldn't come up with an appropriate punishment. Her servant had simply exhausted the Mini-Hellsing's reserve of creative punishments.

But Integra had to come up with something. She could not let such... such, blatant disrespect go... even if the scene had been amusing. No, she had to come up with something, or she risked loosing the upper hand. And that... that was totally unacceptable.

So Integra paced back and forth in her room, fuming and trying to think up a punishment for her servant. Several minutes passed, and then the young knight heard a soft "Meow." come out from somewhere under her pet's bunk. A moment later, his own pet emerged.

It walked over to the frustrated Mini-Hellsing, and purred as it rubbed itself against her legs. The faintest trace of a smile appeared on Integra's face as she stooped down to pick up the vampire cat. Then the smile grew a little as she pet the small creature, and it continued it's calming 'purr'.

_What is it they say?_ The young knight thought. _People with a dog or cat live richer, filler and longer lives?_ "Too bad your master can't be more like you." Integra spoke to the vampire cat, confident it would have no idea what she was saying. "Unfortunately, **he** seems determined to add **extra** stress to my life." Integra let out a single, half-hearted chuckle. "Like I don't already have enough."

The young knight sighed before bending down again and releasing the cat. Then Integra stood back up and shook her head before casting a look over at her bed. Mine as well turn in early tonight. _Maybe a good night's sleep will get the old creative juices flowing and help me come up with an appropriate punishment for my own 'pet'._

So, Integra slept; and as she slept... she dreamed. The young knight dreamed a dream of the way the night could've gone... but didn't.

* * *

The party was actually a lot better than Integra had expected: there were light refreshments, some little tables set up with pamphlets and discussion groups about religion. And no one had, yet, put their fingers in the punch. However, She did find herself fighting the urge to go and have a conversation about the separation of Church and State with one of the priests, but the young knight had a gut feeling that it would not go over well.

In the left corner of the room, a Celtic trio had set up and was beginning to perform. A tall, lanky boy with a mop of brown hair and an explosion of freckles over his face was on guitar; while a pair of girls, whom looked related with their deep coloring and sharp features, played both recorder and hand drums. It wasn't popular music or rock, but still... it had a pleasant, steady beat and reminded the Mini-Hellsing of a trip her family had taken to Scotland when she had been much younger.

"They're not too bad, are they?" A friendly voice commented from behind. A quick hand slipped around her middle and a smiling face rested on her shoulder.

"Hello." Pip greeted with a peck on her cheek. Integra flushed. She still wasn't used to all this attention... Well her vampire usually showered her with all the complements and all too-familiar behavior, but that was different. She was used to that; and if he got too unbearable, she could always blast his head off with a pistol. (Not a good idea for a human boyfriend, the results would be a bit more permanent...) Before she could protest, a cup of cherry punch was raised up to eye level. "I figured that you might be thirsty, so here's punch."

"Thank you." She sipped it- cool, sweet and not spiked, so far her date was going along quite well, though secretly she was on the look-out for her 'roommate's ' arrival.

"What do you want to do while we're here?", he asked, "There's some group panels about Catholic living for teens, but I have a feeling that I'll open my views and get excommunicated. The panel about art and the Vatican looks like the safest bet." His date nodded.

"That sounds interesting, besides have you seen the priest giving most of the lectures? He seems a bit... imposing." The pair began to walk down the hallway, passing groups of gregarious classmates and a few chaperoning teachers. For a moment, Integra looked around. They all seemed like they hadn't a care in their minds- happy, clueless people, not realizing all the dangers and burdens of the world. She sighed.

_I will never truly be like them..._ She thought. However, for a moment she looked at Pip's carefree demeanor and the way his smile lit up his face. _But just for a little while, let me pretend._ Her heart was lightened for a moment, but her eyes still darted around the room, searching for vampires, one in particular.

To the vampire, the room was a virtual shmoregastboard of tasty, little treats. The scent of virgin's blood was everywhere, with a few exceptions here and there, but it was heavenly. For a moment, Alucard inwardly grumbled at his master. How could she be so cruel! it was like putting a dieting housewife in front of a candy shop!

"This is soooo unfair...", the creature whined. "Great, just great, I sound more and more like a teenage girl everyday..." A few people began to look at the girl. Apparently, 'she' had begun to speak thoughts aloud much more often. 'Alison' sighed; things would be so much easier if she was allowed just a little sip here and there. One could drink from a willing victim and not turn them... Just so long as only a small amount of blood was drunk. However, how was that going to be explained away- a chaste young thing found half-naked in her arms, bleeding and moaning in a mixture of pain... and pleasure? Humans had so many stupid rules about conduct. And speaking of conduct, she wanted to make sure that the randy, little frog was acting in proper conduct with her master. Taking a deep breath, Alison walked inside the party.

Meanwhile, outside the school grounds, shadows began to drift, like specters in the night. Teeth clicked and the sounds of subtle voices could be heard. "Do you smell that?" One voice whispered, lust tinging every word."It so delicious."

"They're all so young and fresh. We haven't eaten in days. Can we?" A female voice pleaded.

"Wait..." A deeper tone addressed. "I'm picking up the scent of..." It paused, then spat out sarcastic laughter.

"Well, I'll be damned again- it's her, that little girl. Gentlemen, we are about to kill two birds with one stone. Move in!" A flutter of wings shattered the stillness of the night.

Back inside the school assembly room, Enrico Maxwell had been waiting for the past half-hour, waiting for the arrival of his intended 'date'. Though technically, he was not suppose to think about girls in such a fashion, it didn't dismay his plans in the least. This girl was a challenge, and absolutely gorgeous. To be fair, some of the novices at the convent were pretty damn cute, but they didn't let you go very far. (Of course, there had been a few lucky breaks; but Father Anderson nearly took the skin off his knuckles when he caught his beloved student in 'the act' with Sister Mary Marget.) Tonight, maybe things would go differently. The anxious boy checked his watch again, just about ready to give up and go to the kitchen to replace a tray of cookies, when Cinderella arrived at the Ball.

She looked amazing, even in her simple, black shirt and skirt. Her hair fell into a waterfall of ebony silk, and her stunning features reminded him of a porcelain doll. Now all she had to do was smile, and she would be perfect.

_And that' s where I come in._ The acolyte thought to himself.

No sooner than she had entered, Alison felt a wet, slightly sticky aura bee-line straight for her. It was that alter boy, the pain in her ass that she couldn't shake. She growled and clenched her fangs. Technically, 'she' had to play nice.

"So you decided to show up, that's great. I'm so glad that you did." The young man crooned. Alison raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean, after all, saving your soul is the most important thing on my list of priorities tonight." For a few beats, Alison absorbed his aura, emotions, and the nasty, little fantasies playing out in his head. Then an idea crossed her mind, a wonderful, horrible, terrible idea. She steped closer to him and whispered in his ear.

"You're only concerned about my soul? But what about the rest of me?" The vampire purred, and the altar boy's cheeks turned tomato red.

"I, um, ah..", he sputtered as a slender arm snaked up and around his side.

"Would you like to dance?" Alison inquired.

"One of the priests might see us and not be so... understanding." Enrico answered.

"I see, then how about going somewhere more... private?" The vampire replied, and the alter boy's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "I know just the place. Come along." Alison continued, and Enrico followed her like a puppy.

_Good._ Alison thought. Let's make this quick. _God help him if that Frog is attempting the same thing. But I'll never be able to stand a full evening of this altar boy's attention without killing him, and that would put master in a bad mood.... Which, I wouldn't mind really. But it might also be enough to push her over the edge and have me locked up again, and that... that would be totally unacceptable._

Integra was actually enjoying herself greatly. The speaker was funny and informative. The power-point presentation had some of the most beautiful pictures of the Sistine Chapel and even went into the procedures of how each section was painted. Also, the feeling of Pip's warm hand in hers was quite nice. So far, he had been the perfect gentleman all evening. With her servant nowhere to be found, she was a bit on edge, but there had been no outbursts, fights, or demonic creatures to deal with as of yet. Thus the date was quite successful. However, in spite of all this, a tiny, nagging doubt gnawed away in the pit of her stomach, a little, cold stirring in the back of her mind told her not to let her guard down.

Pip felt his girlfriend's stirring. "You okay there?" He whispered.

"Fine, just, I haven't seen Alison yet... I'm just wondering if she's coming."

"She'll show up. If you don't see her after the lecture, we'll call her, alright?" The Mini-Hellsing nodded and attempted to ignore the sense of doom pooling up in her stomach.

Steve sighed and attempted to calm the frenzied, little butterflies zipping around his stomach. It was about 9:30, and he was on his way over to the Britten House to meet up with Alison. He had to work until almost nine on his paper, but promised to pick her up for a little bit of fun at the revival. While he wasn't quite sure if Church socials were her 'thing', just the idea of spending time with his girl was enough to put a spring in his step and a bit of bounce in his heart. Sure, Alison wasn't quite as friendly as he wished she would be, but at least she was only sighing and eye-rolling instead of bluntly telling him to piss off. The young man just had to remind himself that true love was patient and wasn't afraid to wait out the rough spots.

"Hey! Go easy; not so rough!", Alison chided. The boy was manhandling her like she was a piece of fresh dough and he was the baker. The pair had been able to creep into Alison's room unnoticed, and did not spare any time getting to know each other on a more intimate, 'shirt peeled off like an orange skin and blouse unbuttoned to navel' level.

While the vampire was not usually fond of such rushed seductions, tonight, it had to be. Any moment now, that poor, unsuspecting geek would be coming over to pick up his 'date', and what would his wondering eyes behold? Why his sweetie being ravished by a naughty alter boy. A fight would ensue, and hopefully she could use her powers of persuasion to fly Steve into a fit of rage and beat the tar out of this sod.

Thus, Mr. Alter Boy would leave her alone for the duration of the evening. The vampire would be free to go back and chaperon his master. And Steve? Well, he might even get a little self-esteem boost out of the deal. It seemed like an easy enough plot, yet Alison was not counting on the 'Don Juan' of an acolyte being so...eager.

His hands groped and slipped over her chest without any finesse and every time Enrico kissed her, he was attempting to lick her tonsils. She could already feel his interest against her and felt disgusted instead of aroused. For Dis' sake, he had the Titanic in his trousers and no inkling how to steer the boat. He was going to disappoint a whole lot of women in his lifetime.

The boy licked her earlobe and began to whisper. "How rude of me, I didn't even ask if you were a vi-"

"I'm not." She cut him off with a harsh kiss that left him breathless... and her nauseous.

"Do you want to try anything in particular?" He breathed hotly in her ear.

"Whatever you want... 'darling'." She replied. His hands began to dip into more delicate areas, but Alison had no worries. She could sense Steve literally at the door . But just then, Alison 'saw' a shadowed arm wrap around her 'boyfriend'; and before she was even able to push the altar boy off of her, vampiric teeth were sunk into the virgin geek's soft neck.

Alison shot up, knocking Enrico off the bed. "I have to go!" She exclaimed. The boy's face dropped.

"But... But, I don't understand-I thought that you , I-I even brought a-dammit!" The vampire spun and turned on him with a vicious , inhuman gleam in her eyes, fangs jutting out slightly.

"Get out of here-NOW!" she hissed. Enrico scrambled for his shirt and shoes before running out the door and being attacked by the same vampire that had sunk his fangs into Steve a moment before.

While the altar boy was being sucked dry, the other vampires began their assault on the Catholic gathering. They stormed into the school assembly room, with all the subtlety of a bull at a china shop. The pack wildly shot their various fire-arms into the building's ceiling, drawing everyone's attention to them. "Alright, you tasty morsels..." The one that Integra assumed to be the small pack's leader spoke. "It's feeding time." The vampire continued in a creepy, sing-song voice as the others began to descend upon their human 'cattle'.

Integra, reached down to her side and groped for a weapon, momentarily forgetting that she'd been forced to leave both her sword and pistol at the mansion. "You can't bring those things with you to school, Sir. If they were ever found, you'd be expelled and have a black-mark on your record." Walter had insisted.

_Great going there, and just how am I suppose to defend myself now?_ Integra thought as she deeply regretted acquiescing to her butler's 'logical objection'.

Some of the students tried to make a break for the doors. However, they were quickly intercepted; and the vampires then took the precaution of shoving pieces of metal conduit, torn from the building's structure, through the door handles and twisting the conduit until the doors were secure. "Oh sorry. No one's getting out tonight. I'm afraid that we did not order our meal 'to go'." The vampire leader punned before laughing madly at his own joke.

Integra's eyes darted around for a weapon. Oh, what she wouldn't give for her pistol... or rapier... or even that flaming sword thing her 'roommate's' 'boyfriend' had constructed a few weeks back. And just where was her roommate anyway?

His entire justification for following her to school was protecting her from threats. Where was he when she really needed him? It didn't matter. She couldn't just wait around for her 'knight in shining armor' to come rescue her. Integra had to defend herself. And with that in mind, Integra went for the closest thing to a weapon that she could find, an old fire ax. She moved slowly, carefully, doing her best to attract as little attention as possible while she passed through the through the panicked crowd of screaming humans.

She was nearly to the ax. Just a few more steps and she'd have it. Integra's lip curled slightly. The screams of the other humans and insane laughter of the vampires flooded the large assembly room, only being temporarily broken by the loud roar of gunfire as some vampire decided to gun down a feeling human instead of chasing after him or her. But none of that mattered at the moment. Integra blocked it all out. She reached the box that housed the weapon, and getting a hold of the ax was the only thought going through the young knight's head. She stretched out her hand, and then...

Suddenly Integra felt herself being lifted into the air. She was turned to a horizontal position, and one of the hungry vampires, the one the young knight had decided to be their leader, floated up and covered her body with his.

Integra squirmed as she attempted to break free of whatever dark force held her in place. "Let me go!" She yelled.

But the vampire just stared down at her with hungry eyes and licked his lips. "Oh, I don't think so." The creature cooed as he began to fondle the young knight. "Sir Integra Hellsing, huh? Do you have any idea how much our kind has suffered because of your family?" The monster spat before smiling and continuing, "Ooh, I'm going to enjoy this." The creature began to slowly lower his mouth towards her exposed neck.

Integra struggled again, but it was no use. She couldn't get free. However, just as she felt the vampire's cold, dead breath upon the skin of her sensitive neck, one of the room's 'exits' burst open. The vampire holding Integra captive paused to discover what had caused the large, bolted, double doors to go flying like that; and that's when 'Alison', eyes blaring red and long fangs fully exposed, stepped into the room.

"Put my master down, you disgusting piece of trash!" The 'girl' screamed. "And I'll grant you a quick... **relatively** painless death."

"Oh, will you now?" The monster huffed. "Destroy her!" He ordered the rest of his pack, and they trained their guns on the interloper.

Integra's own monster had just the smallest trace of a smile on 'her' face as she reached out with her hand and telekinetically pulled the guns out of the other vampires' hands. She floated one of the weapons, a .44 Magnum, into her open palm and discarded the rest behind her back. Then her slight smile turned into a psychotic laugh as she drove the rounds from her recently hand gun into the heads of the other vampires.

One by one the stunned vampire's were killed. No, not 'killed'. Killed wasn't an accurate term to describe how they died. They were **executed**, before they even had a chance to react. Having disposed of the pack, Alison then turned her gun on the pack leader. However, rather than the loud 'bang' of a gunshot, only a faint 'click' was heard as the ancient vampire again pulled the trigger.

The vampire holding Integra seemed to regain some of his former confidence. "Oh no. Out of bullets. Now what are you going to do, little girl? You brave enough to fight me up close and personal?"

Alison threw the gun to the side and let out a half-snort/half-laugh before 'her' form vanished into a swirling mass of red eyed shadows. "You filthy faker! Think you can handle a real vampiric battle?" A disembodied voice called out as the stunned enemy vampire let out a high pitched shriek.

Then out of the shadowed mass shot two shadow tendrils. They easily caught the fleeing vampire, wrapped around him and pulled him into the dark abyss. "No! No! Please, NOOOOOO!!!." The terrified vampire screamed as he was swallowed whole.

"Awww!" Integra exclaimed as the dark power holding her vanished with its master, and the young knight plummeted to the floor below.

However, her servant had already reformed and effortlessly caught her in midair. "Got you."

Integra tried to catch her breath as she stared up at the face of her servant. Gone were the bangs and long eyelashes. It was not 'Alison' that held the Mini-Hellsing, but Alucard. "You... you caught me."

"Always." Alucard responded with a rare, warm smile; and, slowly, his face came down to hers. However, unlike the previous vampire, Alucard's mouth was not aimed at the young knight's neck... but instead, her lips.

Then Integra saw the scene from the perspective of an outsider. Slowly the vampire lowered his lips, and the knight slightly parted her own in anticipation.

Integra shook her head, but could not stop the scene before her.

Their lips met. And the 'third person' Integra let out a whisper of a, "No." It was quickly followed by a much louder, "No!"

* * *

Back in the real world, Integra woke up with a scream. She bolted upward, again smacking her head on the ceiling.

In the bunk below the young knight, her 'pet' vampire stirred and shot out to see what was wrong with her master. "Master are you..." 'Alison' began before repeatedly being assaulted by a down pillow.

"Stay away from me, you bloody, perverted vampire." Integra growled as she beat her servant off with a fluffy pillow.

(Well, hope you liked the bonus chapter. Please review. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Ladykirie and Metropolis Kid.)


	17. Last Chapter of Integra's School Daze

**Glimpses of the Future**

Integra had a big bad vamp, big bad vamp, big bad vamp.

Integra had a big bad vamp with powers dark as night.

He followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day.

He followed her to school one day, the children all to fright.

Integra, she scolded him, scolded him scolded him.

Integra scolded him, the students aren't to bite.

**AN: **This chapter is another joint venture between me and ladykirie... Though, in truth, I think she wrote a little bit more than I did. The first part of this takes place immediately after the 'bonus chapter'. The second part happens a few days later. Hope you enjoy. :)

"Don't even think about trying to touch me!" The young knight shrieked, swinging her pillow wildly. The vampire was at a loss for words as a soft, yet potentially deadly down pillow collided with her temple.

"Master, please calm down. You were having a..." Alison's words were cut off by a small fist colliding with her jaw. The young knight was obviously still caught up in the throes of her nightmare; and if she kept flailing like she was, stood a very good chance of falling out of the bunk and cracking her head. With a sigh, the vampire shifted into 'her' 'normal' form, and gently caught Integra's wrists.

"You are having a bad dream. Relax." Alucard whispered, "It's a nightmare nothing more. Shhh." He cooed. The creature gently pressed his weight into her body to ease her spasms. The Hellsing Heir began to calm, though her body still tensed and her hands remained balled up in hard fists. Her servant's voice soothed her. However her cheeks remained flushed, and a rather nasty scowl began to surface.

"Do you have any idea how angry I am with you? I can't even have peace in my own dreams!" The young knight stated.

The vampire smirked. "Really, I thought that I acted quite nobly, very much like a knight in shining armor."

Integra's brow shot up. "Did you cause it?"

"No. Perhaps your subconscious is just telling you how lucky you are that things didn't turn out worse... and that you have a very loyal servant."

"Not funny, Alucard. Not funny at all."

"Perhaps I was not trying to be funny." He purred, and Integra became quite aware of his closeness. While she was getting slowly used to the more intimate company of people, there was something that set her skin on edge with Alucard's nearness. His breath tickled her forehead; and though it was more for soothing purposes, rather than seduction, his weight was shifted nearly on top of hers. Her heartbeat quickened and the sound of her blood racing through her veins was absolutely maddening to the vampire.

_You know, I can kiss you in real life, too-if that's what you desire… _his voice echoed inside her head. A breath caught in Integra's throat, and her vocal chords went numb.

"I... I" was all the girl could stutter.

The vampire could sense his master's unease. He was already in enough hot water, and the last thing he wanted to do was intimidate his master. He took a breath, and his form began to drift and merge, reshaping itself into a smaller, more suitable body.

"Is this any better?" A teenage version of Alucard's male form inquired. His features still sharp and handsome, surrounded by a thick curtain of inky hair. His eyes were still crimson, but there was a noticeable softness to Alucard now, and his statuesque height was shortened considerably. Integra was dumbstruck. While she had become somewhat accustomed to her servant's shape-shifting abilities, it always seemed to surprise her when he took on an unfamiliar form; and this one was completely new to her.

"There's no-one here except for us, so I guess I'm adhering to your rules, aren't I?" He questioned. She had to admit, he was a sly one.

"Are you any less angry with me now?" The vampire asked with a pout. For a moment Integra's face calmed, and she seemed almost charmed by his cute attempt at redemption, but then her brow furrowed and she grabbed him by the shoulders, shoving him roughly to the side and rolling on top.

"Do you have any idea of the trouble you have caused me while you've been here?!" The young knight growled, clutching his shirt collar until her knuckles turned white. "I have been dragged away from my home, my duty, my military business all so that I might deal with the stupidity of campus life, over-abundant homework, teen-aged idiots and the misadventures of a bloody, aggravating, gender-bending vampire who drains my time and tries my patience! Bloody Hell, Yes! I'm angry with you!" She fumed.

Alucard was silent for a moment. Pink cheeks, tousled hair, and eyes that sparked cold, blue fire; His master was ravishing when aggravated. She was a ferocious tiger, a force to be reckoned with, an absolute horror when she was angry... and absolutely gorgeous. Not to mention, that the weight of her body straddled against his stomach was very, very enticing indeed.

"You live to torment me... Not to mention what other horrid things you must be plotting..." Integra continued, but her fire broke along with her grasp. And after another moment, the Mini-Hellsing dismounted her 'pet' and looked away. This drew Alucard out of his reverie and he could feel every emotion in her aura swirling like a whirlpool.

_He doesn't care about me, he just wants to best me, make me miserable , thinks I'm just a stupid girl like all the members of the council, and Lord knows what he really wants to do to me while I sleep. _The train of thought was interrupted by the vampire gently pulling her chin towards his face.

"You're thinking too loud." Alucard stated softly. The fiery rage that had ignited Integra's cheeks and lips was now extinguished, and she looked as if she might cry. "I'll have you know that your welfare, safety, and happiness is what I live for, Master Integral."

The young knight breathed out a small sigh, but her eyes still could not meet the vampire's as he continued. "You're so much fun to rile up; that's why I tease you, to bring your inner tigress out to play. You may not be my first master, but I will say that you are one of the few I've respected. Here, take a look." Gently, he pressed his forehead to hers and thoughts and memories came flooding in.

Past scenes played out and ran like slide-show: the cruel whippings of Abraham Van Helsing, the painful experiments from her grandfather, Viktor, and a flurry of images that saddened her the most; the female form that she had come to know for the past months at school stood frightened and still against the stony background of the basement. She wore a torn, white lace dress that indicated a struggle and bloody tears streaked her face. An angular figure over-shadowed 'Alison' menacingly.

"_If I ever catch you with that damn butler again, I swear, I'll have him sent to the front lines in Poland, and seal you down here, you little tramp!" _A familiar voice, but not one belonging to Integra's pet, swore within the young knight's head._ T_he shadow passed over the girl and a slap resounded off her skin, as the door was slammed shut.

"_Nooo! Please-let me out-let me out!" _Alison's voice cried, banging desperately away on the door…

Integra pulled back and connected with her servant's eyes. Blue orbs met scarlet, and an understanding bridged the two for a moment. Awkwardly, she reached out and stroked his cheek.

"I'm sorry." she whispered. "I never knew you went through so much."

"Well, I did deserve some of it; I can be a rather trying servant at times." Integra smiled in spite of herself.

"Who was the man? He sounded... familiar?" She asked. Alucard arched a brow.

"Why weren't you dreaming of kissing your Frog?" he retorted. Integra blushed.

"Answer my question, servant." She demanded.

"Answer mine first, master... To give me a good example of honesty, of course." He inched closer until the two were quite near each other's mouths.

"Have you kissed him yet?" Her vampire asked.

"No. I've never kissed anyone." She replied. It was the truth, other than a peck on the hand or cheek, her lips, like the rest of her, were quite virgin.

"Worried you'll miss the mark?"

"I'm a good shot with a pistol. Why should kissing be any different?" Before the girl could continue, a soft, cold pair of lips brushed tenderly against her own. It was brief, a mere moment, then a moment longer, but when her servant pulled away her entire face was the shade of a flamingo. The pair looked at each other briefly, studying the expressions of varying degrees of awe and awkward playing over each other's features. Alucard attempted to read his master's aura, but it was churning much too fast. Oh, dear, merciful Lord- perhaps he had just sent her over the edge and she was going to decapitate him on the spot.

"Um, Master…." Alucard began as he started to do something very rare; he started to apologize. However, the young knight edged over to him and pushed him down, pecking his cheeks, temple, and nose.

"What are you doing?" The vampire asked, delighted but completely confused.

"Target practice." She grinned before placing a sloppy, yet heartfelt kiss on his lips. "Bull's-eye".

After 'practice' had continued for the later part of the evening, the pair curled up under the blankets. Bastet tucked into a snug little, ball at the foot of the bunk. True to his word, not a single stitch of clothing had been removed... other than the unbuttoning of a few notches on both their collars. No skin had been broken, bitten or bloodied. The pair's actions had been exploratory... and affectionate, but chaste none the less.

As they laid there next to one another, the vampire found himself adoring the warmth that his master's body provided while she was fascinated how smooth his hair was. Her skin smelled like Heaven on Earth; and every time she kissed him, it took his breath away, (not that he really needed it, but it was an amazing feeling).

"So, are you going to tell your Frenchman about our little affair?"

"Affair, what affair? I'm fifteen, far too young to have affairs. This is... just being affectionate." Integra replied as Alucard rolled over to his side and played with a lock of hair spilling over her forehead.

"You do realize that back in my rein, most girls were married off and made mothers by your age. In fact, a few of my concubines were just about as old as you when I received them…" His voice trailed off to a husky whisper, but it did not phase the Hellsing heir in the least.

"Bully for you. The twentieth century and equal rights did take place, Alucard. And by the way, I'm your master, not your concubine, harem girl, Slave-Leia, or whatever else graced your throne."

The vampire grinned and laughed. "Spoken like a true Hellsing. Besides..." He added in a much more tender tone, "I would never lay a finger on you unless you wanted me to, truly and with your whole being. If you had begged me for more tonight, I wouldn't have."

"Really?" Integra asked, snuggling in, feeling the little cat stir up against her feet and a pair of strong arms embrace her middle.

"Yes... Though, if do ask me a decade or so from now, you might get a little more then you bargained for." Bastet meowed in agreement, and the girl hid her face in the crook of his arm to hide the ripening color of her cheeks.

_Oh Lord, what have I gotten myself into…_

_

* * *

_'Alison' waited in line. Why the pet store was so crowded, she didn't know; but whatever the reason was, it really didn't matter. She could hardly bully her way to the front of the line and demand to be taken care of first. If she did, her master would punish the vampire again; and Integra had developed a nasty knack for selecting punishments that her 'pet' actually **didn't** enjoy. The last one, for causing such a 'hullabaloo' at the Catholic pre-party, had entailed the vampire spending nearly her entire Saturday in the company of her 'boyfriend'.

Alison didn't really mind Steve's company, at least not in small doses. But an entire day was just too much. And what was worse, she had to do whatever the geek wanted. _"compensation for using him like that." _Integra had called it.

Integra's wording could've gotten her servant into hot water if Steve had decided to press his advantage. But, of course, he didn't. He might've if he knew that she had to do whatever he asked; though Alison doubted the geek would've taken full advantage of the situation, even if he had possessed that knowledge. Steve really was a 'nice guy'.

Still, after six hours of watching the 'special' Back to the Future marathon with her 'boyfriend', the vampire was nearly ready to scream. The movies weren't bad, even amusing at times. But six hours, back to back? That was insane! And the vampire was one to know.

"Can I help you Miss? Miss?" The voice of a man who looked to be in his early twenties, broke Alison from her memories; and she looked over at the counter.

"Oh, yes. I would like ten hamsters…" Alison paused then added a cute sounding, "please." 'She' was playing the part of a cute, fifteen year old girl and had to stay 'in character', after all.

The man behind the counter eyed the girl strangely. "Ten hamsters? You're kidding, right?"

"No. I'm not." The vampire replied, sounding a bit put out by the man's question.

"But… but what could you possibly want with ten hamsters?"

"Food." Alison replied and flashed the man a disturbing grin. If he was going to be nosy, she mine as well teach him a little lesson about minding his own business. "They taste wonderful with a side of Brussels sprouts." The vampire continued.

The man eyed the vampire strangely. "You… you're not serious." He commented. Alison just flashed another disturbing grin, and the man gulped. "I'll… I'll be right back with your hamsters, Miss."

Alison let out a little giggle as the man nearly ran away from what he considered to be 'one very sick teenage girl'. He returned a couple of minutes later, holding a small, cardboard box with ten hamsters inside. The man gulped again and avoided eye contact as he handed the box over. "Here you go, Miss. That'll be fifteen pounds."

Alison opened up one of the box's flaps and angled it so the man would see inside. The vampire smiled. "And well worth it too. Look how plump and juicy, they are." The man nearly fainted as the vampire handed over the money.

Having received her hamsters and made the nosy employee turn a lovely shade of pale green, Alison turned to leave. But, while heading towards the exit, Alison passed a little strawberry-blonde girl, who was apparently having problems with one of the store's other employees.

"Come on. Just let me hold one for a few minutes, please?" The girl who appeared to be just shy of her teenage years, smiled up at the employee.

But he was obviously unmoved by the smile. "No. You come here every couple of days, and waste my time, looking at a bunch of different animals. You never buy anything." The man scoffed. "And by those shabby clothes you're wearing, I don't think you could even afford a goldfish. Well, no more. Either buy something, or get out."

The girl's lower lip trembled for a brief moment, but then she balled up her fist and punched the employee's gut as hard as she could. "You're a big jerk; you know that!"

The employee grabbed his gut. It wasn't that the girl was exceptionally strong or that the punch had done any serious damage. But the little girl had managed to knock the wind out of him. "Come here, you little urchin." He growled as soon as he began to recover from the blow.

The girl's eyes went wide and she jumped back, out of the man's reach, then bolted out of the store.

Alison's lip curled slightly as she followed the girl out.

The young girl sprinted a short distance and ducked into a back alley. There she stopped to catch her breath. "Not very smart of you." A voice called out, causing the girl to jump and look around. She was surprised to see a slightly older, much better dressed, teenage girl already in the alley.

After a couple of second's the 'urchin's' eyes went wide again and she fired off a barrage of questions. "I-I saw you in the pet store. How… how did you get here so fast? Are you going to turn me in? Just who are you? And what's in that box? And why did you follow me? And if you followed me, how did you beat me here? And…"

Alison laughed lightly. "My, aren't you just a bundle of questions?" The young girl stopped her rambling and was quiet for a moment. She could tell that there was something strange about the raven hair teen who carried the mysterious box. Alison continued, "Tell you what, I'll answer a question for a question… and I'll even let you go first."

The young girl took a breath and more timidly asked, "Who are you?"

"Name's Alison." The vampire replied as she tucked her box under one arm and extended her free hand.

The young girl shook it. "I'm Seras… b-but everyone calls me Kitten."

"Kitten huh?" Alison replied with a slight grin.

"Yeah… so, why did you follow me?"

The vampire shrugged. "You seemed interesting. Not many pre-teen girls would've punched a man twice their size."

"He had it coming." Seras defended. "The guy's a jerk."

"True…" The vampire agreed before continuing, "But he was still a lot bigger than you. It wasn't a very smart move."

"Don't care." Seras replied trying to sound braver than she really was. "He still had it coming." And the corner of Alison's lip curled in a subtle indication of her approval.

The box under the vampire's arm shook a little, from movement inside, and drew Seras's attention back to it. "What you got in there?" The young girl asked as she pointed at the box.

Alison slid the box out from under her arm and held it out to the younger girl. "Just some hamsters." The vampire lifted one of the flaps.

"Oh!" Seras's eyes sparkled and she clasped her hand's together in front of her. "They're so cute! May… May I hold one?"

"You going to punch me if I say no?" Alison asked before letting out a single laugh and continuing, "Yeah, go ahead."

Seras smiled as she reached into the container and pulled out one of the little rodents. She held it to her, just starting to develop, chest, giving the small creature a little hug. But then she raised an eyebrow as she continued to stare at the others. "What are you going to do with so many?"

"Feed them to my cat." Alison answered nonchalantly.

"What!" Seras exclaimed. "You… You can't be serious. They… They're so small and cute. W-what kind of a person would do something like that?!"

"A monster?" Alison offered up, then let out a giggle. "Come now, Kitten. It's just the natural order of things. The strong prey upon those weaker then themselves. That's what the food chain is all about. It doesn't matter how… 'cute' they may look. You ever eaten lamb?"

"I-I… No. The orphanage could never afford food like that."

"Oh. So, you're an orphan." Alison replied as she looked the younger girl up and down. "That would explain the clothes. Okay, how about steak… or hamburg?"

"Friday night's burger night." The orphan answered, sounding a little excited, and Alison guessed it was probably the one night the orphans were allowed something more than oatmeal or soup.

"You ever see a cow up close?" Seras shook her head. "White and black. Looong eyelashes; big, sad eyes. And they let out a peaceful mooing as they gently move around the field, eating grass. Sound cute don't they."

"Yeah, actually they kind of do."

"Well, every time you eat a burger, you're eating the flesh of one of those creatures." Seras looked saddened by the thought, and Alison shook her head. "I didn't point that out to you to turn you off of your burger nights, just to show you the truth of my earlier statement. The strong victimize the week and use them to propel themselves forward. You should just be grateful that you're near the top of the food chain."

"Near the top?" Seras asked, sounding confused. "What's higher than humans?"

Alison smiled at the girl and leaned in before coyly replying. "Maybe you'll find out… someday." The statement seemed to make Seras feel uneasy, and Alison pulled back to give the younger girl some breathing room. "But, for now… It's getting late, and I should be going before my… 'roommate' starts to worry." Alison extended an empty hand and cast a look at the hamster Seras was still holding closely to her.

The young girl said nothing; but she turned her body protectively, shifting the small rodent further away from the older girl.

Alison stared at Seras for a moment. But then the vampire nodded. "Alright. You can keep that one." The vampire smiled slightly before continuing, "I suppose I can afford to donate one hamster to a little, orphaned… 'Kitten'." Alison turned and started to walk away as she said her farewell. "Enjoy your new pet. And think about what I said. Maybe we'll meet again, Seras Victoria."

The orphan stared at the departing teenager as the latter turned a corner. _How did she know my last name? I never told her. _After a few seconds the 'Kitten's' curiosity got the better of her, and she took off after the teenager. But as soon as Seras turned the corner the other girl had gone around, not more than a couple of seconds earlier, the orphan found that the strange girl had already disappeared.

(Well, hope you liked the new chapter. Please review. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid and Ladykirie.)


	18. Sequel: Integra's HoliDaze

**Integra's Holi-Daze**

**AN: **This chapter is another transition one, this time leading into a whole new story (a sequel, if you will). Our favorite Mini-Hellsing decides to take a vacation! And of course... nothing in her life can EVER be simple. :P So, please bear with me if this seems a little slow at first. It's another introductory chapter. But HOPEFULLY you'll find it entertaining anyway. ;)

PS. I'm going out of state next week. So, it'll probably be two weeks, instead of one, until the next update. Well, on with the chapter. Hope you enjoy. :)

'Alison' was rather pleased as 'she' entered the Britten House. The vampire's punishments were over, she'd just restocked her cat's food supply for the next couple of weeks, and really freaked out a pet store employee in the process; but best of all, Spring break was starting the next day. That meant two whole weeks of just 'her' and her master, kicking back and relaxing without school work to eat into their time.

Maybe the vampire would even get the chance to try out the 'teenage Alucard' form again. That form seemed to have gone over very well with the Master, even getting to sleep in her bed. And that was an experience the vampire wouldn't mind repeating; no, not at all.

Alucard knew his young master wasn't ready for a full blown, 'intimate' relationship, and he was okay with that. He'd watched as five centuries came and went. What was another decade to an immortal vampire like him? He could wait. He would wait. However, that didn't mean he couldn't stay close to his master and enjoy some of her... 'affection' while he waited.

'Alison's' lip curled slightly, at the thought, as 'she' opened the door and stepped into the dorm room she shared with her master. But then the vampire's rather pleased expression fell into one of confusion and... **possible** dread as she noticed the open suitcase in the middle of the floor.

The vampire raised an eyebrow as her master came out of the closet and carried an arm-full of clothes over to the suitcase. "Are we going somewhere?" Alison asked, doing her best to keep a neutral tone.

Integra looked over at her 'pet' vampire. "No. **We** are not going anywhere. **I** am going to France for Spring break." Then the young knight squatted down and began to lay her garments withing the suitcase.

"I see." Alison replied as she raised her eyebrow again. "And what brought about this decision? La Grenouille, get his hooks into you again?"

Integra stopped and gave her 'pet' a curious look.

Alison responded, "La Grenouille," Alison paused for a moment before translating, "the frog. Oh, Master, you are going to France for two weeks, and you do not even know the language? Surely, this was not your idea."

Integra briefly considered lying, but quickly rejected the idea. If she were discovered, the lie would weaken her position. It would mean that she felt the need to lie; and therefore, either she was doing something wrong... or she needed her servant's permission to go, neither of which were true. The young knight also considered simply not replying at all. But she knew that, if she did that, her vampire would hound her until the Mini-Hellsing gave an answer. So, Integra answered truthfully... but she chose her words carefully. "Yes, **Pip** made the suggestion. However, **I am** the one who decided to accept. I've always wanted to see Paris."

Alison huffed. "He only wants to get you alone... on his home turf. A little, teenage girl in Paris, the 'City of Love'?" Alison huffed again. "The history, and fantasy, associated with that city will cloud your mind, wear down your defenses and leave you vulnerable to his advances."

"You make it sound like a war." Integra scoffed.

"It is..." Alison replied. "Very much like one, in fact. Do you not remember what John Lyly wrote in Euphues: The Anatomy of Wyt?"

Integra looked away for a moment, trying to recall the original line that had been used, reused and adjusted so many times over the years. "'The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war.'"

Alison's smiled approvingly at her master. "Yes, Master. You remember your lessons well."

The side of Integra's face that was turned away from Alison pulled into a slight smile. And then, in a flash, it was gone; and the Mini-Hellsing snorted, "I do not require your validation, Vampire."

Alison bowed her head, "Of course not, Master." The vampire briefly grinned before raising her head again.

"Besides..." Integra continued, "If love is like war, as you claim, then I am more than adequately trained to handle my... adversaries."

"Adversaries?" Alison inquired about the plural use.

"Both of you." Integra replied.

Alison laughed lightly. "Master, I told you already that I would wait until you were truly ready. You have nothing to fear from me."

Integra got up and headed to the closet again. "Funny." She smiled coyly, "Pip said much the same thing. Yet... he has not spent the night in my bed." The young knight cast a look over at her servant.

Alison grinned. "That was only to chase away the bad dreams, my master."

"Oh, of course." Integra replied sarcastically, while grabbing a final set of clothes. "I had a nightmare about you kissing me. So, the only logical course of action was for you to invite yourself into my bed. And that makes sense, in your world?"

"The nightmare was about everyone around you being slaughtered by rogue vampires. I was your 'knight in shining armor'... if you remember correctly, Master." Alison replied, keeping a respectful tone even though her voice was a little strained.

"Ahuh." Integra responded as she packed the last of her clothing. "My big, strong 'knight in shining armor' here to protect his damsel in distress?"

"Yes." Alison replied, with a large grin. "That's, apparently, the fantasy your subconscious conjured up."

Integra turned to glare at her grinning servant. "I am no damsel in distress!" The young knight rose and, having already finished packing her clothes, angrily stormed into the bathroom to retrieve her grooming supplies. She scooped them up and came out in a flash. "I **do not** require your protection." Integra growled as she closed the distance between her and her servant. "I can take care of myself!" The Mini-Hellsing asserted as she jabbed her hairbrush at her servant's chest.

Alison remained silent at first. It was not until Integra had calmed enough to turn around and head back over to her suitcase that the vampire again opened her mouth. "You will need me in Paris, Master."

"No I will not, Vampire." Integra replied, this time not even bothering to look over from her packing. "You will remain here, until I return; and that... is an order."

Alison tilted her head to the side, before bowing it again. "Yes, Master." The vampire consented, unable to refuse a direct order.

But then, head still down, she inquired, "But what am I suppose to do for fun, while you're gone? You are leaving me all alone, for two weeks. It doesn't seem fair for a master to do that to her loyal pet."

"Hardly alone." Integra scoffed. "There are plenty of other people here for you to harass... just as long as you follow your rules. You even have, yourself, a... 'boyfriend'."

"You mean Steve?"

"Yes, Steve. Spend time with him if you get lonely. I'll be back in a couple of weeks."

Alison's, still bowed, head hid the coy smile that spreed across her lips. "As you wish, my master."

* * *

Pip's stomach started making a host of ungodly noises, and the mercenary suddenly realized ordering a beef and three bean burrito from the airport cafeteria hadn't been one of his smarter moves. Luckily the plane had already leveled off, and the passengers were free to move around. So, Pip turned to Integra and quickly excused himself before heading, rather rapidly, towards the plane's restrooms.

Integra slowly shook her head and made an amused smile as her boyfriend scampered down the plane. Then the young knight adjusted herself into a more comfortable position and let out a contended sigh. She'd done it. She'd finally managed to arrange some time away from her 'pet' vampire. Two weeks without having to worry about Alucard getting into trouble or deliberately provoking her, to bring out her 'inner tigress'. It was going to be heavenly. _I mean I love him... Wait, love? Did I just think that? Well, in someway, I guess I do. The way most people 'love' their annoying, yapping dog, I'd imagine._ The young knight told herself. _Anyway, whatever I... 'feel' for him, he can be extremely... 'trying', at times. It's going to be great to 'kick off my heels' and not have to deal with __**any**__ vampires for two whole weeks._

As soon as the thought left the Mini-Hellsing's mind, the in-flight movie started; and red letters appeared upon the screen. _Mel-Brooks presents... __Dracula: Dead and Loving It._ Integra let out a half-laugh, half-snort._ Yeah, that just... figures. _

The young knight sighed. Then leaned her head back against the head rest and closed her eyes. Maybe she'd just take a little nap and sleep right through the spoof-vampire movie. Yes, a nap sounded good. She reclined her seat and started to drift off.

But before the young knight was able to completely surrender herself to blissful unconsciousness, she heard a familiar voice ask, "Aren't you going to watch the movie? Remember how much fun we had with Young Frankenstein?"

Integra's eyes instantly shot open and she bolted upright. The young knight turned to the seat beside her, Pip's seat. Only Pip wasn't in it. No, someone else occupied the seat, and Integra's face twisted into a strange expression of mixed confusion and rage. "Ala...!"

The young knight's 'pet' vampire hushed the Mini-Hellsing by quickly placing a finger upon her lips. _Careful, Master, you're drawing attention._

Integra batted the finger away but still took the warning. She continued over their telepathic connection instead of voicing her question. _Alucard, what the Bloody Hell are you doing here?! I gave you a direct order to remain in England!!!_

'Alison' smiled. _True, Master. However, you also told me to spend time with Steve if I got lonely._

Integra shook her head. What did that have to do with anything?! But then Alison pointed at a seat seven rows behind Integra's; and as the young knight turned to look back, she got her answer. Steve was setting seven rows behind her, waving like a happy, oblivious moron.

Alison continued. _Since Steve's going to France, I must go too... if I am to spend time with him._

Integra, eyes practically flaming, turned back to her pet. _You know very well that's not what I meant!!!_

Alison shrugged. _Meanings. Intentions. Desires. All can be conveyed through words; yet all can be misinterpreted... You should choose your words more carefully, my master... to avoid any... future 'misunderstandings'._

If looks could kill, the vampire would've turned to dust under the glare of 'her' master. _You knew, bloody well, what I meant! You deliberately provoked me into saying that about Steve, just so you'd have a loophole!!!_

Alison grinned. _Of course I did, my dear master, just another of our little games._

_This is no game!!!_ Integra shouted over their link.

But Alison just kept on grinning. _Of course it is, Master. It always is between us. You taught me that... a long time ago. Now, don't be a sore loser. Maybe you'll win the next one._ Alison replied as she lightly stroked her master's shoulder in a mock comforting manor.

Integra's face twisted with barely suppressed rage, and she had all she could do to keep from reaching over and strangling the (un)life from her 'pet'. But, no. That would draw **way** too much attention from the other passengers... besides, the sicko would probably enjoy it.

* * *

Down in the plane's cargo hold, a rat scurried across the floor, trying to sniff out some food from the different passenger's luggage. It stopped, as it detected the sent of one of its natural predators, and looked around, attempting to pinpoint the source.

A hissing shriek from a nearby, 'Skipper Blue', cat carrier, made that task much easier. The rat, confident that its predator couldn't reach it, went back to its search for food.

The cat within the box licked her lips as she watched the rodent scurry across the floor. Then, after a minute or so, the black creature extended one paw through the metal grating in the front of her temporary cell.

The paw dissolved into a small mass of swirling shadows then darted out, 'impaling' the rodent. The cat let out a pleased "Meow." and licked her lips again as she reeled in her dinner.

There would be no pampered hamster for Bastet that day. No, she would enjoy some 'wild game'.

(Well, hope you liked the new chapter. Please review. Thanks.

PS. Ladykirie is buried under theses work right now, but hopefully she'll be able to write something up for the next chapter. The vacation was actually her idea. ;)

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.)

(To blue_demongirl: Sorry, about not replying with my last update. I'm afraid I just forgot. But, better late than never, right? LoL. Anyway, I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far and have found it to be pretty original. I usually try to write things that are a bit different from the standard stuff... or if I do a... 'formula story' I try to throw in some unexpected twists. Well anyway, thanks for the review. I hope you continue to enjoy this.

PS. You may get a kick out of some of my other Hellsing stories too. I've got something like a dozen of them now, and most are humor based. ;)


	19. Road to Rouen

**Road to Rouen**

**AN:** This chapter co-written with Ladykirie.

As the plane touched down in Paris, Integra nearly kissed the ground. The last half-hour of their flight had been bumpy, and she was quite afraid that she would lose what little lunch she'd had. Pip on the other hand had managed to sleep, like a baby, through all of the turbulence. The young man seemed happy to be home again, but a question burned in the Hellsing heir's head. Where on Earth were her vampire and 'her' boyfriend going to lodge? The answer came right out of Pip's mouth.

"You know..." He stated while retrieving their bags from the carousel, "My Mom and Step-dad have a guest-room where Steve could stay while Alison and you could share a space." Integra shot him a 'you've-got-to-be-kidding-me' glance.

"I thought that this holiday would be just for the two of us?" she questioned.

"Well, we don't have to spend everyday with them, love. At least they'll have a place to lay their heads and get a few meals. Right now everything's pretty expensive, and I'm sure Steve's already shelled out quite a bit of money so that they could come here."

The Mini-Hellsing huffed. "Did Alison put this idea in your head?"

"No, I just know that a little hospitality goes a long way..." While the idea of having her 'pet' vampire so near was aggravating... and somehow a bit exciting, the young girl did have to admit that, for being a son of a mercenary, Pip had a big heart. A tiny buzzing reverberated in her ear.

"Isn't this great, Master? I can keep a nice, close watch on you the whole time..." A feminine voice breathed.

"I swear, the fates conspire against me..." Integra huffed under her breath as she grabbed up her suitcases and made her way over to the opposite side of the luggage area, in anticipation of Alison and Steve's arrival.

Steve looked a little green from the flight, but Alison had a huge smile plastered on her face and a bright, blue carrying case filled with one unhappy, little camper. A low, threatening hiss emitted from the holder while a pair of yellow orbs tinged red around the edges, much like a pair of bloody moons, gazed out angrily.

"Aww, Le Chat's upset," Pip teased and stuck a playful finger out to touch the cat's nose. A ninja-quick swipe of a claw left his digit bloody. "Merde!" He exclaimed.

Alison's grin broadened. "Sir, you should certainly ask a girl's permission before touching her pussy..." She replied, causing Steve to flush at the double entendre.

_Alucard._ Integra mentally chided.

But the vampire only tweaked a brow and continued, "Sorry about that. Do you need a tissue?"

Pip shook his head and popped his pointer finger in his mouth.

The little group made their way out of the bustling airport and to a waiting Aixam-Mega. As they neared the car, a man, who looked to be in his mid-thirties, stepped out and greeted them warmly. "Bonjour, Pip. It is good to see you again." The man and boy lightly kissed each other on their right cheeks, then left ones. It was a well known and ancient French greeting; but it still left the two... more emotionally 'reserved' English observers feeling a little uncomfortable.

They fidgeted slightly until the man turned to them. "And these must be your friends." The man paused, a look of curiosity passing over his face. "But, I was only expecting one... not three."

Pip smiled a little as he replied, "Ah, slight change of plans, Uncle Paul. By some ironic twist of fate, my girlfriend's..." The boy paused for a moment and eyed Integra to see if she bristled at the title, but the girl showed no signs of objection. And so, the boy continued, "Roommate, and her boyfriend booked the same flight as us, and I offered them the use of our home. Far as I know, neither of them have been to France before. They wouldn't have any friends here, and the hotels are pretty expensive and..."

"Oh, it's no problem." Uncle Paul cut his nephew off before chuckling at the boy's long-winded explanation. "'The more the merrier', that's what we Bernadottes have always believed. Besides, I'm sure Grandpere will be glad to have someone to drink with."

"Drink with?" Integra asked.

"Yeah, a friend of the family has a vineyard, so we always get to be tasters for the wines." Pip answered before turning to Steve and continuing, "Don't worry, we won't have a repeat of the punch night, right?"

"Umm..." Steve began to fidget again.

The other boy laughed and slapped his knee. "Only kidding, Man. Boy, I think you really do need a vacation. You're so serious all the time." Steve cracked a half-hearted smile, and the small group began to load their bags into the car.

It was a good thing that none of the teenagers felt the need to bring half their dorm-rooms with them. Aixam-Megas were not large cars, by any stretch of the imagination; and if the teens had had to stow their luggage on their laps, it would've made the ride to Rouen rather unpleasant.

Although the teens had flown to Paris and indeed Pip had promised Integra a tour of the ancient city of lights... and love, they would actually be staying in Rouen. It was a large city, once having served as one of the Anglo-Norman capitals, roughly 135 kilometers (a one and a half to two hour car-ride) from France's capital.

Having loaded their bags, the teens began to file into the car. Being the nephew of the car's owner, Pip naturally went for the front-passenger's side door. However, Steve intercepted him.

The geeky teenager looked down, nervously. "Um, do you think I could sit up front... please? You see I get car sick sometimes... and I'm already a little nauseous from the plane ride."

Integra cast a quick glare at her servant.

_What?_ The vampire mentally asked.

_If he throws up on my new dress, so help me you won't leave your room for the whole trip._

Alison's lip's pulled into a coy smile. _And just what will we be doing while I'm locked in a bedroom for two weeks, Master?_

_Not funny, Vampire. _Integra replied sternly

_You need to lighten up, Master. This is a vacation after all. Besides, why should __**I**__ be punished if __**he**__ throws up on you? _The vampire protested.

_He's your boyfriend. Were it not for you, he wouldn't even be here._ The young knight countered.

Alison was about to reply, but as she heard Pip answer Steve, the vampire realized there would be no reason to.

"Nah, I don't mind. You can have the front. Besides..." The French merc cast a look over at Integra and Alison. "I think I'd have more fun, crammed into the backseat with the girls anyway." He chuckled.

The Mini-Hellsing gave her boyfriend a 'warning' look, and Pip smiled. "Just joking, Fleur."

Integra shook her head, but seemed appeased regardless. That was until the teens actually began to file into the car, and Alison whispered into her master's ear. "He wasn't really, you know? You should've seen the nasty little fantasy he was having a moment ago."

The vampire grinned, and Integra responded by grinding the heal of her shoe into Alison's toes.

_Bloody, mind reading vampire!_ The young knight thought, not knowing if her servant was telling the truth, trying to drive a wedge between her and Pip... or simply 'teasing' her again.

Do to the route they took and the traffic they encountered, the car-ride was closer to the two hour figure than the hour and a half. The teens passed the time with talk; and once they'd exhausted the other 'chit-chat' topics, the vacationing students inevitably turned their attention back to the one subject that they could all easily share, their school life.

"My classes have been pretty intense this semester." Steve stated.

"Tell me about it. Every time I'm in European History, Mrs. Hartoun's expecting me to know everything about WWII. I made the mistake of telling her about my family's involvement in the resistance movements, so now she expects me to have every answer, every time." Pip replied.

"But that's good... that she expects so much out of you, Pip." Integra responded. "There's nothing wrong with someone setting high standards for you."

"I agree, but I can't always be the only one in class to answer, you know?" Pip paused for a moment, seemingly evaluating his words. "Still, she's alright in my book... good teacher."

"I've had a few conversations with her about Poland during the occupation, and it seems that she doesn't know half of what went on there..." Alison chimed in.

Pip looked confused. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, she had no clue that back in the winter of '44, a small, yet deadly team made it's way into strictly Nazi territory and shut down an impending attack."

Integra shot her servant a cautious look. _Alucard... careful. _She mentally warned.

"Really?" Pip seemed intrigued by the revelation. "Was it a stealth attack? And who: the Brits, the Americans, or the revolting Polish?"

"Those two were fighting for the English."

"What? Only two people? That's crazy! What are you into, some kind of conspiracy theory or something?"

"Sort of... We can talk about it at another time." Alison replied before turning her head as something caught her eye. "Now will you take a look at that?"

The chatter ceased and all eyes moved to gaze out the window as the car made its way around the center of town, a busy modern stretch lined with shops and cafes. But in the midst of it all, a great, grey stone cathedral jutted upwards, piercing the sky. It was a huge, grand building with high pointed arches and an ornate flying buttress supporting all of its weight with such grace, that it took one's breath away. The carvings were so deep and well-formed that one could see them from a distance. Turrets lined the roof like thorns on a rose-branch and instead of seeming old or ancient against the backdrop, it added a sense of grandeur, like stepping back into a fairy tale.

"It's beautiful." Integra breathed as she interlaced her fingers with Pip's.

"Yeah, it's the Cathedral of Rouen. We have a lot of churches around here. The writer Victor Hugo said that we were 'the town of 100 steeples'... So, if you like to sight-see, we have plenty more." Integra smiled happily and locked eyes with Pip, royal blue meeting emerald green.

Alison turned away, feeling a little 'car sick' herself. But then something else out the window caught her eye. The vampire's lip curled into a mischievous smile, and she quickly turned back to the 'lovey-dovey couple'. Alison slammed her fist into Pip's shoulder, pulling the punch just enough to keep from cracking bone.

"Ow!" Pip exclaimed as he let go of Integra's hand and rubbed his injured shoulder.

At the same time, Alison called out, "Red punch buggy convertible, no punch backs!" The vampire giggled.

Pip continued to rub his shoulder, wondering how someone so small could hit so hard; and Integra cast a murderous glare at her servant. It was going to be a looong couple of weeks.

(Well, hope you liked the chapter. Please review. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid and Ladykirie.)


	20. The Bells The Bells

**The Bells. The Bells.**

**AN:** Okay, I'm still out of town. Most of this is Ladykirie's work. All I did was adjust a few things, write a couple of lines and do some of the betaing. But I'm sure you all enjoy Reese's writing as much as I do. :)

**PS: **There's another HK-47 quote here... see if you can spot it.

The anticipation was building as the car pulled up to a provincial-looking home that appeared to have been standing for at least a century. Its gates were a dark, wrought iron; and well-trimmed bushes circled the surroundings. Integra exhaled a tiny puff of air as the cab halted, and Pip let out a whistle.

"Hey, looks like Grandpere has been pruning again." He chimed.

"You should see what he did to the back yard. There's a whole herb garden on the sunny side of the house." Uncle Paul stated.

The teens piled out of the car and gathered up their suitcases, including the Skipper Blue carrier. As the passengers arrived at the door, Integra inched over to her servant. The young knight whispered into the vampire's ear, causing a pleasant shiver to run down Alison's spine. "Not too shabby... for 'common mercenaries', eh, Alucard?"

Although the vampire said nothing in response, her body stiffened slightly; and Integra could tell that her 'pet' was bothered by the comment. _Good._ The Mini-Hellsing thought. She knew that, from here on in, it would be a battle of wits and wills to see whom would be victorious for the duration of the vacation, and Integra would take every victory she could get.

Pip pressed a small button under the doorbell and spoke into an intercom located subtly to the side. "Hey, we're here." He cried. There was a pause, but then the doorway parted to reveal a pleasant-looking woman in her mid-forties. The woman had very dark, almost black, red hair, quite the opposite of her son's much lighter color; but the family resemblance was still undeniable.

"Phillipe. So glad to see you." Pip's mother called out as she leaned in and hugged her boy. When the hug was finished and the two broke from each other, the mother, smile upon her face, turned to glance at rest of the group.

"Mauman, this is my girlfriend, Integra, her roommate Alison and her boyfriend, Steven." The woman grinned warmly and leaned in to embrace each, starting with the Hellsing heir.

"I've heard so much about you, please come inside."

The Bernadette Homestead was pleasant, modern and in varying shades of grey and green (very much a contrast to the rustic, county-side appearance from the outside). The walls were lined with dozens of framed pictures, some drenched in sepia tone, while others appeared to be from only a few months ago. Eyes peered out from every angle, each face expressing an emotion, telling a story with its presence.

A wedding party from the 1930's beamed out at the viewers followed by various images of men in military uniform. A few portraits from WWII were flanked by newspaper clippings and what appeared to be old letters home, letters that had long ago turned yellow from age. While they were from different eras, every man seemed to have the same devil-may-care grin smirking on their faces, including those of the current generation.

Several portraits of Pip, in various ages, hung at eye level. In one, he was a round-cheeked child of about three. In another, he looked a bit uncomfortable in a stuffy suit but still managed a smile. The most recent had him clad in basic camouflage gear, his shoulder-length hair askew, and holding what appeared to be a brand new Biretta hand gun.

"Aw mauman, why do you have to have so many pictures of me up? It's embarrassing" He complained. His mother merely pulled on his ear and made him yowl. The noise set the already agitated cat off, making her growl and hiss low in her carrier.

"Don't bitch to your mum, Pip. Be grateful she likes your face so much." A gruff voice came from behind. A man in his late sixties or perhaps a little older strode over, his eyes sharp and a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"Pops, can you please not smoke in the house; it's not healthy." The woman complained. The elder shrugged his shoulders.

"Hell, nothing has killed me yet, so I can't see how this is going to hurt.... Anyhow- how do you all do? I'm Philippe Bernadette Senior... Bonjour."

"Hello, sir." Steve replied. Alison managed a polite nod, and Integra stepped forward. Mr. Bernadette eyed her up and down, puffing out a thick cloud of smoke.

"Hoy, Pip, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends here? Who is this charming creature?" The boy released himself from his mother's playful grasp and made his way over to the side of his girl.

"Grandpere, this is Integra, my girlfriend." He proudly stated. The man took her hand and attempted to bring it to his mouth for a quick peck, but the girl transformed the gesture into a hearty hand-shake.

"Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing." She introduced herself. Mr. Bernadette's eyebrows arched.

"Any relation to Sir Arthur Hellsing?"

"He's my father, Sir." Integra paused paused for a moment, then added,"Was my father. I mean, he passed on a few years ago."

A slight smile formed on the old man's face as he shook his head. "He worked with some of my boys during the 1940's. I can remember him, good, hard-working man, bit crazy, but then again, which of us wasn't? It was interesting times back then."

"Isn't that an old curse, 'may you live in interesting times'?" Miss Hellsing quipped.

"Yes, yes. It is... or can be. I'll tell you, you look just like him when he was young... same hair color, same eyes." Quickly, the old man chucked Pip under the chin.

"You picked a good one, lad." His grandson's grin widened as Alison cast a tiny scowl. Grandpere walked over to Steve and cast him a strange glance.

"And you are....? " The boy awkwardly placed out a hand and shook the man's mit.

"I'm Steve, thank you for having us, and this is Alison, my..." The vampire cut her 'boyfriend' off by stepping in front and grasping the man's hand out of Steve's. Her eyes locked with the old man, and she placed her palm gently into his.

"I'm Alison...." The vampire purred. "It's so nice to meet you, Sir." Charm oozed out of every word. The old man seemed impressed and placed a light kiss on the back of her hand.

"What lovely friends you have, Pip. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to send you to that English school after all." His eyes, though paled with age, sparkled and took on a twinkle like a mischievous school boy's.

Steve felt a little odd that this old gieser seemed to be a bit too enthusiastic. And the boy judged that his 'girlfriend' was taking the old man's 'manners' a bit too warmly. The geek's gaze narrowed, ever so slightly, an uneasiness tugging at his young gut.

Mrs. Bernadette broke up the musings with a smile. "Now, we can't spend the whole day in the foyer, let's go inside, perhaps you would like us to show you to your rooms. Paul's helping to set up the bikes and car in the garage, while Jean, my husband, will be home later tonight for supper. Girls, I'll be happy to show you to your room." The pair followed their guide up a short flight of stairs to a small guest bedroom, decorated in soft peach, with twin, neatly-made beds.

"Take a few moments to freshen up. I think that Steven will be on the other side of the house in the spare room. If you need anything, please let me know." Mrs. Bernadette stated. As soon as the door closed, Integra began to unpack, unfold and unwind.

The vampire let out her cramped cat, and the little beast made a bee-line for the window, stretched and settled down into the sill. Casting its eyes to the rooftops lined with pigeons, Bastet licked her lips.

Meanwhile, Alison flopped down loudly on her own bed and released a rough sigh. "I can't believe that we're going to be here for what? Two weeks, maybe three? It's going to be sooo boring." She flipped over and cast a dangerous smile, like a tiger introducing itself to a lamb. "That is, unless you want me to liven things up a bit...."

Integra crisply folded a pair of trousers and placed them in the wood dresser on her side of the room. A church bell resounded in the distance, its hollow reverberations filling the silence again and again, while Alison stretched out sensuously, rolled over onto her stomach (letting the skirt flip up to a most abbreviated length) and kicked her legs playfully behind her.

"Wanna make out?" The vampire teased. The Mini-Hellsing let the drawer close, with a snap, before turning and walking over to her pet. The young knight didn't stop until the two were almost nose to nose.

"Want to take a bath?" Integra inquired with a sly smile, and her servant grinned widely. Was the Master just teasing her back... or was there a nice, little bubble of teen-aged lust underneath that prim exterior after all?

But before Alison could voice her enthusiasm, the Hellsing Heir crossed her arms and sternly cut off her servant's fantasy.

"I was thinking of the baptismal vat in the church. If you don't mind your manners in this household, I swear, Alucard, I will hold you down in Holy Water..." The vampire's hopeful face deflated like a pricked balloon, and Integra took a moment to relish her victory.

"You are a very harsh master, Master." The vampire said with a mock pout... But then the mischievous sparkle returned to Alison's eyes; and she continued, in a near coo, "I like you."

Integra just shook her head and went back to her unpacking. There were a few beats of silence as the young girl arranged her belongings. Then she strode over to the window and began to scratch the cat behind her ears. Bastet arched up and began a light rumbling in the back of her throat.

"See, you're a good girl, yes, you are..." Integra crooned.

Alison merely twisted to her side, a poutty frown adorning her lips. "Isn't it strange that you seem more willing to display affection to my pet than you own, my master?" She quibbed.

"You know, you don't always have to be so jealous, Alucard." Integra stated, picking up the beast gingerly, bringing her over to her owner. The vampiric kitty nuzzled Ali's forehead and placed a few scratchy licks on her, and this seemed the brightened up the creature, slightly. The vampire's mood further improved when Integra brushed her hands over her servant's hair and smiled gently.

"You did promise to be on your best behavior." She reminded. "And we are guests here. It would be really embarrassing to have you 'accidentally' eat their son in front of his own family." All of a sudden, Alison rose up, head snapping towards the window, eyes shifting uneasily.

"Did you hear that?" The vampire asked. Integra shook her head; she hadn't heard a thing.

Alison rose and opened the window, ears pricked, eyes scanning the din of cars and human voices. But a sudden rushing of birds' wings had drowned out the strange sound she had picked up just a few moments ago.

"What's wrong..." The Mini-Hellsing inquired. "You sense something?"

"Not sure. It's just... something is in the air here. I'm not sure just what yet, but it's gone now." The creature shut the window and turned to her master.

"So are we going to at least try and behave ourselves while we're here?" Integra asked with just a hint of authority. Alison stepped closer to her master, placing them almost nose-to-nose.

"Can you give me an incentive, Master?"

Integra shook her head. "You..." she stated, lifting the vampire's chin,"are the most incorrigible creature ever." And with that, the young knight gave her 'pet' vampire a soft kiss on the lips.

However, this little taste gave the creature a green light to go a bit further. Before the other girl could protest, her servant was pressing past, into heavier actions. As their lips fought for dominance, the door cracked slowly open.

"Hey supper's on. Are you co-" Pip was a bit surprised to see the girls sharing... 'affection'. But the kiss broke promptly, and Integra turned with a flushed face.

"Hi-" was all that she could squeak out. The boy's eyes were wide and an odd expression quirked his face. It was as if he didn't know whether to inch out of the doorway or give them both a 'thumbs-up'.

"Um, we were just getting ready to come down and..." Integra began.

"I got startled by the bells. they were really loud, and 'Tegra' comforted me...." Alison added, for once being helpful, as she squeezed her 'roommate' tightly. "I can get so startled by loud noises, post traumatic stress syndrome from when I was a kid."

"I see..." Pip replied, "Well, if you two are finished, we can all head down for supper. Or, um... perhaps I can aid in the 'comforting'." A sly grin began to wrap around his lips as he stepped into the room.

"That won't be necessary...." Integra stated sharply as she broke the embrace."Come on, Alison, let's all go downstairs and meet the rest of the family." The teens exited, shutting the door behind them and leaving Bastet the whole run of the room.

As the trio made their way down the stairs, Integra couldn't help but notice the smug look on her servant's face. _'__Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome'? Really, Alucard, isn't that a bit much? S_he mentally asked_. _Ali merely grinned.

(Well, hope you got a kick out of the chapter. Please drop a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Ladykirie and Metropolis kid.)

(To the x: Well, he kind of did here. But he can't go too far with it. Pip's got a pretty big crush on Integra, and I'm sure he doesn't want to push things too far. LoL Well, thanks for the review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last.)


	21. The Family Table

**The Family Table**

**AN: **Another chapter written by Ladykirie... betaed by Metropolis Kid.

Dinner was a rather surprising event. While Integra was expecting something a little more 'French' for supper, the table was spread with a rather English meal of Beef Wellington, a colorful vegetable medley and a large tureen of what appeared to be some sort of thick, pulpy soup.

The family arranged themselves around the table, leaving plenty of space for the company. A tall, dark-haired man with glasses and a pleasant smile sat at the head. (This was Jean Michelle Roussu, Pip's step-father.) Pip navigated around the side of his girlfriend and grinned. Accidentally, his knee brushed against hers under the table. A brief smile was exchanged before there was the sound of a dull 'thwack' as 'Alison's' chair bumped into Pip's.

"Sorry." The creature proclaimed with a little smile, but Integra looked unconvinced of her 'pet's' sincerity.

As the final plate of thick, crusty bread was brought to the table, the vampire furrowed her brows. _How in the world am I going to pull this off? S_he thought_._

Her master, remembering the incident in the school's cafeteria, cast a concerned look between the vampire and the food that was being served. Solid food and vampires did not always make for a good combination.

However, when Alison's nose picked up on the soup, she relaxed. _It's oxtail... S_he mentally stated._ Plenty of blood and kidney in the broth, so that should be the safest of the lot.... _The Mini-Hellsing wrinkled her nose and decided to avoid the soup.

The conversation started light and progressed on-wards, Steve actually being a little more social than normal. Jean seemed to like the boy, and they shared a particular interest in the old church that they all had passed on their way to the house.

"That cathedral has been around for centuries. In fact, Monet used to come and paint it, changing the views and the pattern of the light. Also, they claim that there are several rooms that are haunted, especially the tower on the North end, were St. Jeanne d'Arc was housed before her execution." The man informed, and the boy's eyes went wide in response.

"Do you really believe that it's haunted?" Steve asked.

Mr. Roussu took a bite and continued without a beat. "For a structure that's been around as long as that one has, including through the plague years, there's got to be something present...."

"Poor woman..." Mrs. Bernadette interjected. "They had no clue what they were doing."

"They condemn the woman as a heretic and burn her at the stake. A couple decades later they change their minds and declare her a martyr. Five more centuries pass and they canonize her. How fickle is the Church?" Alison cut in.

"Now, that's not fair." Mrs. Bernadette objected. "It wasn't the Church... Just the Bishop Pierre Cauchon perusing a secular vendetta against her. That's why the Pope overturned the conviction." Alison opened her mouth, fully prepared to offer up a sarcastic remark about how much good the second trail did for the woman who'd already been dead two decades, but Pip's mother was able to 'switch tracks' before the vampire had a chance to respond. "Apparently, some people do not take well to strong women taking up the helm.... wouldn't you agree, Integra?"

The young knight paused mid-bite and nodded. "Fear often clouds better judgment, and the same can be said of stupidity..." She stated.

Grandpere bellowed a laugh. "You are like your father. Phillip, you had better watch your ass around this one; I think that you've met your match." The family laughed, and Integra turned slightly pink. Under the table, she felt Pip's hand squeeze her knee.

"Oh, Pip..." Alison piped up, "Could you be a dear and pass over the soup. It smells wonderful, and I'm dying to try it." The vampire's voice took on a sugary tone that set her master on edge.

"Grandpere made it. What is it, ox ear soup?"

"OXTAIL soup, boy. It's a good, hearty soup. We used to make it during the lean years when all we had left were the bits and pieces that no one else wanted: tail, cheap cuts of meat, kidneys and the blood. Nobody wanted to throw away the blood because it could be boiled down or used in sausage."

Steve was turning a little green, and even Pip's mother looked sour. "Oh dad, that's just gross." She cried.

The old man cocked a brow. "I beg to differ. It's perfectly healthy when cooked right. Remember, Avery, we weren't so picky. So Alison-girl, how do you like the soup?" The man asked, turning to the vampire.

The creature looked up with an almost predatory gleam in her eyes and a spot of the dark red broth on her lips. "It's delicious."

* * *

After supper, Pip's family retired to the living room for some post-dinner coffee and wine. Pale, yellow muscatel bubbled in tall glasses while a steaming pot of rich, black coffee released a tantalizing aroma. Big, ceramic mugs were placed out for the guests. Pip snatched one up and glanced at his girlfriend.

"Hey, Mauman, Papa, do you mind if I show 'Tegra' around a bit?"

"Of course not. The garden's in great shape. Grandpere's been working on it like a dog." His stepfather stated. "Also, there's always the study. Pip says you like weapons, swords and old pistols, right?" Integra nodded, intrigued. "Well, I have a bit of a collection upstairs, you two can go visit it if you like."

The boy grinned and motioned for the girl to follow up the stairs. Alison and Steve were left on the couch, under the warm... yet inquisitive stares of their hosts.

"So, how are you two doing on this vacation?" Came a pleasant question from Mrs. Bernadette.

Steve gulped. He really hated to be put on the spot socially. Ali merely smiled, placed down her coffee and began talking, chattering away like a little bird. For once, Steve let out a tiny puff of relief, glad to let her be the social butterfly. While he was more than content to be a potato bug.....

* * *

"Are you sure that this isn't a ploy to get me alone?" The young knight quipped.

Pip laughed. That was his girl, suspicious as ever. Though with the reputation he'd gotten around school, he couldn't really blame her. "No, you are going to love this. Trust me." The boy replied as he flashed the girl what he assumed to be a warm, encouraging smile.

The narrow hallway continued to a slight bend to the left. Pip stepped in front of Integra and opened the door. The room was dim but spacious and filled with rich office furniture, some of which appeared to be antiques. There was a heavy, oak desk and a huge, leather chair behind it, somewhat reminiscent of the office Integra kept back in her own home. A light flicked on, revealing a breath-taking collection adorning the walls and encased in a twin set of curio cabinets.

Integra paused to catch her breath. Some of the weapons had to be hundreds of years old. The wall was hung with pistols and handguns, mainly Barettas, including a few that looked rusted and worn with age. Swords, with carved hilts and elaborate handles, crossed each other. One of the most impressive of which being a broad sword that had a sheath engraved with vines and grapes, small, fleeting foxes dashing through the twined leaves.

The glass cabinets held boxes of bullets, small daggers, and what appeared to be pocket knives. A bottle-opener, its handle twisted and color chipped, laid on a small scrap of red velvet. The Hellsing heir leaned down and let a chuckle escape. "Wow, it's treated like an artifact." She mused.

Pip laughed. "While everything's got a story, that has to be one of the most useful things in here." Integra cocked an eyebrow, and her boyfriend continued, "Besides opening soda and beer for decades... When Grandpere was in Normandy, during D-Day, he was eating with some of his troop. A Nazi soldier crept up, taking them by surprise. The guy grabbed my Gramps, put a gun to his head, and before Granpere could grab a real weapon, he stabbed the bastard in the eye with that, buying time for my grandfather and his friends to encircle and shoot the man."

"Wow. That's a piece of luck. So, your whole family's been in the military as long as what? A few generations?"

"Well, the first branch of our 'modern' family tree dates back to about 1820, right during the Napoleonic era, and even then there was a Bernadette fighting for someone. I guess that my family's been in the mercenary business as long as we've been around." The teen sat back in the leather office chair. He patted his lap and invited the girl to sit down. Nervously, the Mini-Hellsing complied.

Pip wrapped his arms around her waist, and the chair's leather groaned with their combined weight. Integra wobbled, and the boy's grip tightened. "Just trying to keep you from falling, Fleur." Pip stated. Integra smiled shyly, and he returned the gesture before picking up a few pictures from the desk.

There were images, in shiny-gold frames, all over the desk. Here, there was a faded photo of Pip's mother, in her younger days, embracing a man with a wide smile and trim beard. There there was a portrait of his grandfather in WWII fatigues. Yet another picture, was a wedding portrait of his mother and stepfather, both of them looking tropical on a beach- he in a pale, beige suit with open collar and she in a lovely, coral hued sundress. But the current image in Pip's hand was a picture of his mother and the man who certainly was not his stepfather.  
"This is my mom and dad when they first met. She was just seventeen when she saw him and said to herself- 'That's the man I'm going to marry.' They were together quite a while before I came along...." his voice trailed off, "And he died."

"What happened?"

"Well, with dad now being a married man, he attempted to clear some of his heavier debt by taking even more dangerous assignments. He took up one against a drug cartel in Columbia when he learned my mum was expecting. She wanted him to come home, but he claimed that he wanted the money for her... for me, so that we could get more established. Everything appeared to be going well, but then he ended up with a bullet in his gut. Mom couldn't even identify his body when they brought him home...."

"Oh...,"

Pip placed the frame down and picked up the one of his mother and Jean. "When I was four, mum married Jean. He was friends with the family and always a good guy, really nice. He's been a great Beau-Pere, couldn't ask for a better man in the house. But there are times I worry about him too."

"Why?" The boy smirked.

"What do you think he does for a living?"

"Um, he looks like a Head Librarian or an office manager." Integra replied, prompting a laugh.

"He's an arms dealer- works for the rebels, works for the troops, works for whomever has the money. I get really concerned that he is not going to return home one day. I don't want to see my mom go through that a second time. But, hell, this is what she chose, you know? I don't want to loose him, though. I feel like I've lost enough people in my family." His arms held her fast, body tensing.

"I can relate. My mum died of cancer when I was almost ten, and my father passed when I was twelve. It was like my whole life got snatched away from me, and I had no control over it. I just had to find a way to stay strong and continue onwards."

"Do you have any family left?" Pip asked.

"I have Walter, my family butler. He's been there for me more than anyone else. I still have my aunt and cousins, but we're not exactly... close." Integra wanted to add her servant to the list of family; but, in her heart, she felt that piece of information was best kept to herself... for now anyway.

"They don't care for you?" Pip asked.

Integra shook her head. "Not quite.... my uncle attempted to take power from my father and then from me. It did not end well... Relationships are sort of strained right now."

"I see." Pip replied.

There was a beat of silence, and the girl leaned back, holding her boyfriend's hands firmly in her own. A moment of compassion passed through both of them. Slowly, the girl turned and looked into Pip's eyes; they quivered with a nervous energy.

"Integra..." He whispered. "Do you think that me and my family are 'the scum of the earth'?" He asked. She pressed her nose to his.

"It's what we choose that defines us, and I think that you and your family are warm, interesting, and very honest people." And with that, she kissed him.

The action took Pip a little by surprise, but he returned the gesture, his hand slipping upwards to brush and cup against her jaw. She was a bit awkward, but genuine, the taste of coffee lingering in the kiss. It broke just before becoming French; and she pulled back, a bit flushed, but with a sweet smile spread over her face.

The young man felt amazing. He'd dated and flirted with dozens of girls, kissed and cooed and done his fair share of far more intimate actions, but this was the first time that he felt a real bond of understanding beginning to weave into his heart.

* * *

Meanwhile, Steve was beginning to feel that he should **not** have let Alison take the lead in the conversation. For the past 45 minutes, she and Grandpere had been going off about the 'good old days' of Normandy, battle strategy, and just how the Nazi forces could have been crushed a lot sooner if the English had grown some bullock and done 'this' instead of 'that'. Even the other Bernadettes had wandered off, back into the kitchen. Steve was also not completely unaware that a strange sort of flirtation seemed to be ping-ponging back and forth between **his** girlfriend and the old French man.

While the boy did not want to appear rude, the comments about how big ammunition was compensation for the lack of other things, set him off. "Honey, I think it's time that we head out for a bit, check out that garden before it's too dark. What do you think, Sir?"

Bernadette Senior, arched a brow and sipped his wine. "It appears that your beau wants to take you away for a tour of the manor. We will continue our conversation later, cherie...."

Alison smiled charmingly and rose. Steve and the vampire edged out of the living room and out into the foyer. An irked look started to spread over her features. Steve turned with a hopeful request. "Do you want to take a walk out in the gardens?" Alison rolled her eyes and reluctantly agreed.

* * *

The night air was warm and light, and the pale pink haze of early evening was settling into the horizon. The pair walked in uncomfortable silence past trimmed hedges and a lovely array of blooming daffodils.

"They're really pretty." Steve stated. But no response was uttered from his 'girlfriend'. "I think that the fence over there is a nice touch, very.... French."

"It's interesting..." Alison quipped.

"I really liked the way that you were able to keep up with Mr. Bernadette's history. You really seem to know a lot about history."

The girl humphed and muttered something like, 'Been there; done that.' under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Steve inquired.

"Nothing, I'm just muttering to myself." The vampire corrected. Indicating that she was way older than her appeared years would not go over well.

Her eyes washed over the landscape of pastel hues and fluted blooms. She hated to admit it, but it was a very pretty garden. She was enjoying the the view, and Steve was actually attempting to be social, for once not prattling off about some inane science-fiction topic. Alison sighed, perhaps the geek did deserve just a little attention. Slowly, she slipped her hand into the teen's and continued their walk through the path.

The sky began to lose it's parfait glow, and darker hues of blue and violet muted the sky. The church bells rang out the hour; and, once again, Ali's hackles bristled as another sound mixed into the chimes. Laughter, it was laughter- high, unnatural, and very present to non-human ears.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked sensing the change in her behavior.

"Hey Steve, want to go into town and check out something?"

"Like what?"

Alison's eyes narrowed and a gleam took over them. "The Cathedral."

"But it's getting dark. I thought that we could go there during the day... with Pip and Integra."

The vampire sighed before challenging, "Steve, don't you want to do something exciting for once, something different from what you always do? Come on, Steve, adventure is calling; it's practically screaming to come on down and do something!"

"But how are we going to get there? I can't drive and it will take over an hour if we walk."

Alison pulled the protesting geek close and whispered in his ear. "Do you remember the scooter in the garage, a vespa I believe. The keys are in the basket on the side..." She cooed.

"Shouldn't we ask permission for them? I mean it's..." His train of words was cut off by a slender finger being placed against his lips.

"It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Come on kid, let's have some fun..." The vampire replied, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

(Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Ladykirie and Metropolis Kid.)


	22. Vive’ Le Difference!

**Vive' Le Difference!**

**AN: **Another chapter written by Ladykirie... betaed by Metropolis Kid.

Steve should have been scared... absolutely, positively scared out of his wits. After all, he was usually a reasonable guy, a calm, logical, don't-do-it-if-it's-going-to-cause-trouble sort of person; but after meeting Alison, all of that was slowly going out the window. As the night air whipped through his hair, all Steve could hear was the hum of the scooter and the raven haired 'girl's' laughter, occasionally breaking up the din.

Her long hair blew back, brushing boldly against his face. The girl's hair smelt like strawberries and felt silky. His arms were wrapped tightly around her waist; and for once, she wasn't complaining about their closeness. (However, it was practical, after all. Steve did not want to tumble off and take the rider and Vespa down with him.)

The countryside quickly morphed into the beginnings of an urban landscape, and the peak of the Cathedral's towers could be seen jutting against the deep night. As the vehicle buzzed along like a brilliant, blue beetle, Alison could feel the unnatural pressure starting to build in the air. Whatever was inside the Cathedral was practically tempting them to go on in and discover it.

Meanwhile, in the top-most turrets of the Cathedral of Rouen, voices chuckled.

"Oh, look, look...." A little tone stated. "Can't you see how eager they are to come play?!"

"Which one are you talking about? The girl looks eager, but the boy... Tisk, he looks green!" Another laughed.

"Ummm, I don't think that the first is a girl..." A meek voice informed.

"Then what is she, a cabbage??!" A fit of giggles resounded off the stone walls.

"Stop being silly. Just watch out; I don't believe that these are the local ghost hunters..."

"We'll see about that. Whoever they are, they're coming into our playground..." The conversation muffled out into a flutter of wings.

* * *

The Bernadette family had gathered back into the living room, setting up a great bowl of yellow popcorn and some more, re-brewed coffee.

"We figured a movie would be a great way to wind down the evening." Jean stated. "We've got a couple of classics, The Mouse That Roared, and Les Triplettes De Belleville. They're both really good." Pip and Integra took a comfortable seat on the center couch, while Mr. and Mrs. Bernadette took the smaller love seat. Grandpere was content to smoke outside on the patio with his evening cup of café.

"Where are Alison and Steve?" The Mini-Hellsing questioned. Pip shrugged and pulled an arm around her.

"Maybe they just want some time alone. Grandepere last saw them in the garden not too long ago, so maybe their still enjoying the night." Instead of feeling relieved, a lump of worry began to surface in Integra's throat. Steve alone with her 'pet' vampire? So far 'she' had been behaving, but all sorts of horrible scenarios played out in the young knight's mind.

"Integra, I'm sure that your friends are fine. If they don't show up by the end of the movie, we'll check up on them, okay?" Mrs. Bernadette soothed. In spite of the woman's motherly concern, the girl's nerves were set on edge like china plates in a batting cage.

* * *

"Um, Ali?" Steve stated quietly, "Maybe it's not such a good idea for us to go inside. I mean, the visiting hours end after dark, and the entire place looks locked up."

But the girl paid no mind, to her 'boyfriend's' objections, as she pulled the scooter to the side. "Steve, get off."

"Excuse me?"

"Get off the ride, so that I can push it into these bushes. We don't want to advertise our presence here, now do we?" The teen dismounted the Vespa and watched as his 'girlfriend' hid the vehicle with expertise.

"Do you do this sort of stuff on a regular basis?" The boy asked with a raised eyebrow.

Alison 'um-hummed' and covered the wheels with a thick piece of shrubbery while Steve turned to the imposing building before him and gulped. All of a sudden, in the dim, consuming shadows, the Cathedral was not as inviting as it had been in the daylight. Gone was the gentle, pastoral quality that Monet had painted into existence. If the artist had rendered the church in this light, it would have creeped out the critics.

Its arched windows took on a near sinister appearance as the dull lights from inside the Church cast an eerie glow against the glass. The silhouette of the trees' branches seemed claw-like, scraping against the stone, great hands attempting to pry their way inside. Even the stillness of the place was suffocating, not serene as Steve had hoped it would be. Alison pricked up her ears, as if hearing some kind of low noise.

"Do you hear that?" She asked. Steve was puzzled. "Do you hear them? They're calling us cowards!" The boy just stood there, dumbstruck. He hadn't heard a thing, but Alison seemed convinced she was being mocked. The geek wondered just what was going on as his girlfriend stomped her foot in defiance and yelled out something that sounded like Latin.

"So, that's how you want to play, hmmmm?" The raven haired girl countered. A sharp, almost inhuman look crossed her features, and she grabbed Steve's hand.

Before Steve could protest, he was pulled over to the side of the massive structure. There was an area of vines so dense they resembled a great, green ladder. Without any further conversation, the girl started to climb. Steve remembered her skill from gym class and wasn't shocked that she was nearly half way up when she cast down a look at him.

"Hoy, hurry up. The vines are strong, and you're light. So get to it!" She commanded. Gingerly, Steve mounted the swirling rope before him and started upwards, reminding himself not to look down at any cost.

* * *

Les Triplettes De Belleville (or The Triplets of Belleville as it was called in its North American release) was sweet and very well animated. Integra was sure that Walter would just love to see it when she came back home for the summer. Uncle Paul had returned from town and joined in with a huge plate of vanilla cookies. Pip had been a gentleman all evening, helping his mum refill the bowls and coffee pot. Everything was going well, almost too well for the young knight to relax. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a tickling sensation that felt like trouble brewing, kept prickling her spine.

"Alucard..." She mentally called "Where are you? What are you doing?" But the young knight received no answer, nothing... not even a wise-crack or a blip of a response.

Without skipping a beat, the young suitor leaned over and whispered into his girl's ear. "Don't worry, maybe they're just out... getting to know one another. It would be nice for Steve to finally be able to get closer to her, no?"

The Mini-Hellsing sighed. After all, couldn't there be a slight, small, slender possibility that nothing abnormal was taking place between her servant and the boy?

* * *

"DAMMMIITTTT!!!!" Steve screamed as he tore through the narrow hallway. As soon as he and Alison had gotten to the nearest window ledge, she'd found a way to shimmy in through what appeared to be an air conditioning vent. The vent led to the ground floor, the ground floor to an alcove, and right smack into a huge, swarming colony of rats. Hundreds of tiny eyes shown with predatory glee as they darted for ankles and calves.

Alison merely laughed and chucked the little beasts out of the way like a terrier, but Steve completely panicked as one attempted to crawl up on his leg. Like any scared prey, he ran. However, the geek's pursuer was not a single predator, but scores that poured out of the nooks and crannies; and the panicked running was only making the vermin frenzied. Meanwhile, two shadowy forms watched from the rafters with glee.

"See what you get when you sneak in instead of using the front door!" One timber proclaimed.

"Oh, you don't think that they'll really hurt them, do you, Mariette?"

"Bah! If they get bitten, then it's what they deserve! Go get'em!" The other voice cheered.

Alison cast a glance up to the ceiling and its twisted rafters. In-between the ornamental structures, the figures of two children pointed and giggled. Their images were transparent, but clear as the light of day. They were the ones behind the jeering and the taunting, little ghosts having their playtime. A devilish smirk crossed her features. Two could play at that game.

Steve's running had led him into the center of the room. It was a small baptistery with an alter and several large, brass, tub-like bowls used for the sacrament. The rats were closing in, baring their sharp, chisel-like teeth and clicking their claws against the stone. Steve cast a glance towards the basins, then one towards the approaching rodents, then a quick back-glance; and then the teenage geek got an idea.

He rushed towards the nearest bronze bowl and began to lift it. Silently he apologized and prayed that a bolt of lightning would not strike him dead for defiling such relics, but the drive for survival won out over reverence. He gave the basin a shove. It was heavy, but if he could just angle it right....

The vat tipped over on its left side, spilling out gallons and gallons of Holy Water. The first wave of the rats were pushed back by the force of the water as the vessel fell down with a great booming clatter, reverberating off the stone walls like thunder.

Even Alison paused her rat-pitching and stomping to direct her attention to the baptistery. The rats fled back into their holes, dampened, defeated and distressed. The raven haired girl picked her way over to the boy who was calming himself with slow, steady breaths. She was careful not to touch the split Holy Water. After all, it would be kind of awkward to explain just why it was eating through her skin.

"Steven?" she called softly. The teen turned to her with a look of triumph in his eyes. He had not just survived, but overcome his enemy. He had the same look that crossed his face when he had punched out the little alter boy on the night of the mixer- a warrior's visage.

"Are you alright?" The girl asked, stepping closer.

"I think so... Are you okay? I was worried that you were going to get attacked or bitten so, I just did what I thought would drive them away..." He looked down for a moment "I just really hope that we can at least clean up the place a little. It wouldn't be right to leave it this way. I-I just wanted to do... something. And..."

"It was a brave thing for you to do," the raven haired girl declared, cutting off Steve's sputtering. And then, much to the geek's surprise, Alison pressed her lips against his.

Steve's eyes went wide in shock. She'd never kissed him before; and he certainly hadn't expected her to do so now, in an old church, after nearly being eaten alive by giant rats?! But she was. It wasn't deep, nor passionate; but for Steve, it was as if the entire room lit up and his heart finally proclaimed him a hero.

Alison broke the kiss and continued, "Guess you don't need to be drunk in order to show a little aggression after all." A coy grin spread across her face.

The lad was actually developing some backbone, and that was good. It would give her more freedom in the future. And so, her 'boyfriend' deserved some kind of positive reinforcement. After all a quick kiss wasn't that big a price to pay for a little bit longer leash while she stayed in France.

It certainly wasn't what she had bestowed upon another young man when he had made his first heroic action. But then not everyone deserved such... personal favors. Not to mention that **that** particular young man was much more attractive and possessed a far more lustier nature... Ah, but now was not the time for such reminiscing... Besides, **some **thoughts were best kept out of a Church.

"We'll clean up before we leave. Ready to go up a flight?" Steve asked. The girl nodded, and the pair made their way down the darkened hall.

(Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Ladykirie and Metropolis Kid.)


	23. A Haunting Experience

**A Haunting Experience**

**AN: **This chapter written by Metropolis Kid, based on an outline given by Ladykirie.

As soon as 'Alison' and Steve reached the winding staircase, a pale and translucent figure of a twelve year old girl appeared at the top of it. "So, you think you're pretty tough, huh?" The figure giggled. "What brave adventurers we have here, dealing with a swarm of rats," she taunted. "Lets see how you handle something a bit more menacing, shall we?" And with that, the girlish figure morphed into an eight foot monster with horns, sharp teeth and piercing, red eyes.

The monster reached down and grabbed Steve by his cote, lifting the terrified boy up and bringing him to its open jaws. "Not so tough now, are you, Boy?" The monster jeered in a demonic voice, and Steve nearly wet himself.

It was then that Alison realized that, perhaps, bringing the teenage geek 'ghost busting' wasn't such a bright idea. She'd talked him into going, because she was restless and looking for some action; and due to the fact that spending time with him was her excuse for following her master to France, she couldn't just abandon him to go exploring on her own. But if Steve actually got killed, her loophole for staying in France would vanish.

The vampire flung herself at the monster, knocking it off balance and causing it to drop Steve. Alison then grabbed the geek's hand and led him back to the Cathedral's main hall. There she quickly pushed him into a confessional and gave him strict orders to keep his head down and stay hidden while she dealt with the ghosts.

Steve began to protest and insist that he should help her. But Alison silenced such noble, if incredibly foolish, protests with another kiss. It was faster than arguing, and time was of the essence.

Just as Steve's surprise began to fade; and he started to reciprocate, Alison broke the kiss. Before the geek could recover, the vampire said, "You're sweet, but remember Lance? I can handle myself just fine. What I can't do is watch out for you at the same time. So stay here, and let me take care of the ghosts, 'k'?"

The vampire flashed a sweet smile at the geek, and Steve nodded in agreement. Then Alison left him and quickly headed back to where she'd last seen the ghost. _Idiot!_ the vampire thought to 'herself' as she rushed back into the fray._ Like I'd really need his help. The fool would just get himself killed._

_Not that I'd care if he died. Just the idea that I could possibly care, even the tiniest bit, what happens to a sniveling, little geek like that is... It's just positively preposterous. He's... He's nothing... ____n_othing but a means to an end, the vampire told herself as she encountered the monstrous ghost again.

No, Alison wasn't trying to protect her geeky 'boyfriend'. The very idea was absurd. It was just... just that, if Steve actually did get killed, she'd be forced back to England, leaving her master alone with that perverted, little, French mercenary. Surely, that alone was her motivation in keeping the boy safe. _Anything else would be utterly ridiculous,_ she thought as the ghost morphed again, this time changing into a flock of pigeons which retreated up the staircase.

As Alison pursued the ghost, Steve sat in his confessional, feeling like a coward. What kind of a boyfriend was he, to just hide out and let his girlfriend fight off dangerous spirits all by herself? Steve sighed and reached for the confessional curtain, but a small sounding voice halted his hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice warned. "Mariette, likes to play rough, and you don't look as tough as your girlfriend."

"Who... who are you?" Steve asked; and the wooden slit between the confessor's and priest's sides of the confessional slid open, revealing the glowing, translucent face of a small boy.

"I'm Charles." The 'boy' answered.

"How... how old are you?"

"I am... was," the boy corrected, "eight years old when the Great Plague took me."

"The Great Plague?" Steve asked. "But... but that was three centuries ago. Have... have you been here that long?"

"We have been here a long time." Charles replied, not sure how many years they had actually been haunting the Cathedral.

"We, you and Mariette?"

Charles nodded. "And Eleanor," he added. "When... when I got sick, I was sent here. That's when I met Mariette and Eleanor, and we became friends. But they were sick too, and we all died.

"When the light came for me, I got scared and hid in the tunnels beneath the church. Some of the other children did too. There... there use to be more of us, but over time the others all went into the light, all but Mariette, Eleanor and I. We stayed here."

"Why?" Steve asked. The geek guessed that the light was heaven... or at least some thing trying to take the children there. He didn't understand why they would want to spend all of eternity haunting an old church, rather than go to heaven.

"Mar-Mariette says that this is our place, that we have to stay here. And... and the ones who go into the light... th-they never come back."

"So, you're afraid of the light, because no one returns?"

"N-no, not really. I use to be, but..." Charles started to reply but stopped mid-sentence.

"But what?" Steve pressed.

"B-but, when Jacque entered the light, I was right next to him; and... and I heard the voices of the rest of my friends." Charles smiled as he continued, "They were giggling and laughing, and... and they seemed very happy."

"So, why didn't you go into the light too?" Steve asked.

"I didn't want to leave Mariette and Eleanor." Charles replied simply.

"And you couldn't convince them to go with you?"

"I tried to talk to Eleanor about it; but Mariette wouldn't hear of it. And... and we won't leave her all alone."

"Well, people can change their minds, Charles. Maybe it's time to try again."

While Steve was talking to Charles, Alison was still busy fighting off Mariette; and Eleanor had joined in on the 'fun' too. Together the two ghosts were 'tag-teaming' the vampire, attacking her in shifts so that one of them could take time to rest up while 'Alison' would be unable to catch her breath (figuratively speaking).

The plan wasn't bad; and the two, girlish ghosts were actually managing to hold their own against the vampire. That was... until one of them, taking the form of a ram, had charged, headlong into Alison. The impact had knocked the vampire into the outside wall of the Cathedral, and the two ghosts had giggled as the vampire's body made an outline in the wall. "This one, sure is more fun than the others." One commented.

"Yes, we can play a lot rougher with her." The other agreed. But then something unexpected happened. The wall, already weekend by age, cracked; and the section Alison was up against broke free, falling to the ground below and taking the vampire with it.

The two ghosts instantly stopped their giggling and ran over to the hole in the wall. They looked out and saw Alison's body lying on the ground below. The ground was stained with fresh, crimson blood, and the ghosts raven-haired 'playmate' wasn't moving.

Mariette's hand went up to her mouth, and she just stared at the body for a moment.

"Wh-what have we done?" Eleanor asked in a shocked tone. "We... we killed her."

"No... No. We couldn't have. It.. it was just a game." Mariette replied, regret and disbelief apparent in her tone.

"But look, Marie. She's not moving." Eleanor cried and pressed herself against her friend.

Mariette wrapped her arms around the other ghost and patted her back in a comforting manner. "But... but it was just a game, no one was suppose to get hurt... not like this." The elder ghost commented as she continued trying to comfort her friend.

And then Mariette's shocked expression became laced with fear as a most unusual sight unfurled before her. The blood began to flow back into the raven-haired 'girl's' body, and she rose up from the ground, floating in mid-air.

"Wh-wh..." Mariette stammered in fear; and Eleanor, noticing the change in her friend pulled back and stared out the hole again. "What's going on?" Marie finally manged to ask.

"I-I Told you she wasn't a 'girl'." Eleanor replied, and both ghosts began to back away from the hole as Alison's reanimating body floated up and back through it.

"So, you want to play?" The vampire cooed. 'She' was slouching over, her back bent at a forty-five degree angle; and her head was downcast, her long, raven hair obscuring most of her face. Yet, the ghosts could still make out a sinister, unearthly, red glow in the vampire's right eye. The effect of her appearance would've been enough to make the two ghosts' blood run cold... if they still possessed any. "Alright, lets play." The vampire growled in an inhuman tone as red symbols glowed through her white gloves.

The two ghosts, still stunned by what they'd just seen and trembling with fear, slowly backed away from the regenerated 'girl'.

'Alison' let out a little laugh, one that would've sounded uncharacteristically sadistic to anyone who knew her from school. "**Releasing Control Art Restriction to level three... level two...**" The vampire began but stopped as someone turned the corner and shouted out to her.

"Ali!" Steve shouted as he caught sight of his girlfriend.

And the vampire's master's voice echoed within 'her' head. _"__No shape-shifting when others can see you. __I know you can't help what you are, but no being deliberately scary... or creepy... or anything else that would make the other students go screaming into the night."_

With a frustrated grunt, the vampire dropped the incantation and remained in her present form. She even straightened herself out and brushed the hair from her face. But she still quickly turned and glared at Steve as he neared her. "I told you to wait in the confessional!" The vampire roared.

And Steve took a step back from her. "B-but... I've b-brought someone I think can h-help." The geek timidly replied, and the vampire noticed the small, 'male' ghost trailing behind him.

"Another ghost?" The vampire asked while crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Because two just wasn't enough?" She sarcastically spat.

Charles ignored her and, instead, went over to the other two ghosts. "I think it's time for us to leave this place." He said. "I can feel the light calling me. I'm sure you feel the same. We... We don't have to be afraid. I've heard the voices of the rest of our friends. They're happy. We... we can be happy too, like them. We can see them again."

"B-but... but this place, it's ours. We have fun here." Mariette replied.

"**Had** fun here." Elanor corrected. "No one comes to play with us anymore. Our... Our games have gone too far. We've scared them all away."

"But... But..."

"Marie, we almost killed her. If she were not..." Eleanor paused and looked over at Alison, unsure of what, exactly, the strange, raven-haired 'girl' was, "what she is, she would be dead; and it would be our fault."

"But..." Mariette began to protest again.

"The games have gone too far." Charles cut in. "It's time for us to go home."

Mariette didn't bother trying to argue any longer. Instead she just bowed her head in acceptance, and the three ghosts were cast in a sudden beam of white light. It grew brighter and brighter until Steve's eyes started to burn, and he was forced to shield them. Then the light faded away, and the ghosts were gone.

The geek just stood there for a moment, then he turned to Alison. "Ar-are you still mad at me?" He asked gently.

Alison sighed before slowly replying, "No, I guess not." Steve smiled, and the vampire reached over and messed his hair. "You did good, kid. You did good."

"Does that mean I get another kiss?" The geek asked hopefully.

Alison laughed lightly. "Don't push your luck." She replied as she walked past him. "Now, come on, Kid. We've got some cleaning up to do."

* * *

As Steve and Alison began their cleanup work, Pip awoke to discover that both he and Integra had fallen asleep on his family's couch. His girlfriend was laying peacefully in his arms, and they were both covered in an old quilt, a warm, colorful tapestry that his late grandmother had sewed some fifty odd years ago. At first Pip was a little surprised by the situation he found himself in, though not unpleasantly so. But then the fog of his half-sleep began to clear, and Pip started to remember what had happened earlier that night.

He remembered his parents starting the second movie, The Mouse That Roared, and he remembered watching the beginning with his arm wrapped around Integra's back. And then he remembered looking over at her when the invasion force, dressed in outdated suits of mid-evil armor, got control of the Q-bomb, America's prototype doomsday weapon. That was when the aspiring, French mercenary discovered that the young, English knight had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder. He'd grinned, lightly kissed her forehead and gone back to the movie. Apparently, he'd fallen asleep shortly thereafter; and, after watching the rest of the movie and turning off the TV, his parents, most likely his mother, had decided to cover the two young lovers with the old quilt, rather than wake them.

Integra stirred slightly in her sleep and shifted herself, pressing her body into Pip's a little bit more; and the Frenchman smiled happily. But after a moment, the happy smile morphed into a roguish grin as the Frenchman realized that he'd been presented with an excellent opportunity to... 'explore' a little. True, he wouldn't try to force his girlfriend into anything she wasn't ready for, and he certainly wouldn't do anything excessively vulgar to her while she slept. But she was just lying in his arms, and if those arms... or the hands attached to them happened to move around a little in the night... Well, what possible harm could that do?

Pip's grin widened as the hand on Integra's stomach slowly began to drift northward. But then the silence of the night was shattered by a soft meow... which, if Pip didn't know better, he would've sworn sounded almost like a warning.

The Frenchman looked over and saw Bastet step out from one of the room's shadowed corners and into a moonbeam being cast through a nearby window. The cat sat down in the light of the full moon and locked eyes with the Frenchman. The merc paused for a moment and just watched the cat. But when it failed to move and made no further sounds, Pip began to trail his hand northward again.

Instantly the cat let out another meow, this time following it up with a little hiss; and once again, Pip stopped and held his hand still. He eyed the cat suspiciously; and the creature crouched low, as if waiting to pounce upon some sort of prey. Pip raised an eyebrow. Surely, the feline couldn't possibly know what he was doing... could it?

Pip moved his hand again, this time keeping a careful watch on the cat, to gage its reaction. Such a thing proved unnecessary, for the small creature pounced immediately, effortlessly leaping across the room and landing on the couch as if the beast weighed no more than a feather. And before Pip's mind was even able to process the feline's new position, it struck a clawed paw out at the merc's wandering hand.

Pip bit into his lip to keep from crying out or cursing at the foul beast that had attacked him. The merc didn't want to take a chance on waking the young knight in his arms. Fortunately, the cat did not press its attack; and, after a brief moment, the sharp pain passed. Pip suspiciously eyed the critter again. Then he let out a little sigh and whispered, "Alright, you win."

The Frenchman moved his hand back down to the young knight's stomach, and the cat nodded in approval. Pip raised his eyebrow again. Since when did cats nod their heads in approval? True, the merc was no expert on feline behavior, but something just didn't seem right about that cat. "You're a bit more than you seem, aren't you?"

The cat merely brought up its paw and licked it, as if saying, "Nope, nothing out of the ordinary here".

"Right, just a normal kitty... sure." The Frenchman whispered sarcastically; but the cat seemed to pay him no heed. Instead, it simply continued with its grooming.

"Ahuh." The merc responded and then lowered his head back to the couch. Resting his face against the mass of Integra's platinum-blonde hair, the Frenchman inhaled deeply, breathing in the young knight's scent.

Bastet seemed to be okay with this, but it refused to leave Integra's side. Instead, it snuggled up against the quilt and laid down. Letting out a little purr, the creature closed its eyes, though it would make sure to stay awake until the perverted, little Frenchman had fallen back asleep.

(Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks. Next chapter: **Double Date**, where Integra, Pip, 'Alison' and Steve all head into Paris for a day of fun... and, possibly, a bit of romance.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid and Ladykirie.)


	24. Little Talks

**Little Talks  
**

**AN: **Okay, I think I'm going to have to push back the double date part for one more chapter. The preliminary stuff just ran too long. But I think you guys and gals will enjoy this anyway... at least, I hope you will.

**PS.** There's another HK quote here. See if you can spot it... I don't **think** it's one I've already used in this story.

It took the pair nearly an hour to clean up the church. Actually, it took Steve nearly an hour to mop up all the water. 'Alison' had suggested that they divide up the work load. While Steve cleaned the holy water, Alison would repair the damage to the building itself.

When the geek was finished with the water, he headed off to offer his girlfriend a hand with the rest of the repair work; but to Steve's surprise, she was already finished. The geek raised an eyebrow. Mopping up the floor should've been much quicker than repairing holes in the walls. How had she finished before him? It was strange, but then a lot of what she did was strange... Most girls who looked like her wouldn't have looked twice at a boy like him, and she'd actually come to his rescue, saving him from Lance. And that was certainly strange. Bizarre things had started happening at the school shortly after her arrival. Never before had a zombie attack been a real threat. And now they were running off to old Cathedrals and meeting up with ghosts?!

Yes, Steve's life had certainly become a lot more... 'interesting', and it had all happened since he'd met the cute, raven-haired girl. And what was it that girl ghost had said before disappearing? _"__If she were not... __what she is, she would be dead..." _Steve turned to look at Alison as the geek remembered the words. "_If she were not... __what she is..." _So, what was she?

Alison noticed the strange look her 'boyfriend' was giving her, and her hands went to her hips. She locked eyes with the boy. "I really hope you're not trying to picture me naked... for your sake." The girl commented in a low, yet threatening, tone.

"What? Oh, n-no... n-nothing like... like that." Steve quickly defended while shaking his head. "I'd never..." The boy continued, but that statement just earned him an insulted glare. "Um... I-I mean... Sure, I would... b-but I wasn't... I haven't... I-" The geek's cheeks tinted a rosy red.

And Alison did not need to be a mind reader to know that he was being genuine. She rolled her eyes at Steve's incessant stammering. "Alright. Enough. Stop talking, and take a deep breath before you start hyperventilating and need another shot from your inhaler." The girl commanded, and the boy quickly followed her instructions.

After Steve took a couple of deep breaths, Alison continued, "Better now?" The geek nodded. "Good. Now, why were you staring at me so strangely?"

"Oh, um... I was just thinking about what that ghost said before she vanished. What did she mean by... if you were not what you are?"

Now it was Alison's turn to take a deep... and completely unnecessary breath. She let it out slowly and stared appraisingly at her geeky 'boyfriend'. "Tonight... tonight, I assume, was the first time you've ever come face to face with... 'unliving' beings." The girl began slowly, and the boy nodded. Alison continued, "Having discovered, first hand, that ghosts exist, would you be wiling to entertain the notion that other living-dead creatures could as well?"

Steve paused and some of the color slowly drained from his face. But after a moment he nodded once more. "So... are you saying that you're a... a-"

"I'm **saying** nothing." Alison interrupted. "I'm merely asking questions... And, of course, you understand that **if** such creatures did exist, their existence would have to be kept secret, right?" The 'girl' paused and fixed 'her' 'boyfriend' with a threatening glare. "And if someone were to divulge such secrets, there would be dire consequences." Alison paused again and gave her words a few seconds to sink in.

Steve gulped but then nodded in understanding; and Alison smiled sweetly, her threatening expression and posture dissolving into the perfect picture of a cute and innocent little, fifteen-year-old schoolgirl. "Good." She giggled. "Then you'll understand that there are certain questions that, though you may have them, you should never voice, yes?" The girl sprinted over and draped her arms around the young boy's neck.

Steven seemed somewhat shocked by the abrupt change in attitude. However, he rather preferred this version of Alison, as he indicated with a warm smile. So his girlfriend had some secrets, some part of her life that she'd made it clear she didn't want him poking his nose into. He could live with that. He really did like 'Ali', and there was no point in throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Steve nodded in silent acceptance, and Alison planted a quick peck on his cheek. The boy blushed a little, and then the girl untangled her arms from around his neck. She started to head down the hallway and called out. "Come on Stevie... Time to get back to the Bernadette's house."

And the geek sprinted the short distance to catch up to her. He walked beside her for a few paces, and then the girl reached out and took his hand, interlacing their fingers together. Again Steve blushed. He looked over at Alison, but the girl just kept staring straight ahead. So, he did the same. So what if she wanted to keep some secrets. Why not let her? After all, ignorance was bliss; and women... women were suppose to be mysterious, right?

* * *

When Alison and Steve entered the Bernadette's house, they found Integra and Pip sound asleep on the couch, Bastet curled up beside them. As Alison glared at the sight, Steve just smiled warmly. He nudged the vampire, who was just far enough in front of him to prevent him from seeing the angered (and... possibly hurt?) look on her face. "They make a cute couple, don't they?" He whispered.

Alison grimaced, but hid her contempt behind an expression of girlish glee as she turned back to her 'boyfriend'. "Oh yes, such a cute couple. I just want to eat them up." She squeaked, before adding a mental, _Well, one of them anyway._

Steve continued smiling, happily oblivious to his girlfriend's true meaning, and then let out a yawn. "Ah, it's late. I'd better be going to bed." The geek started towards the stairs. "See you tomorrow, Ali." He commented with a little wave.

Alison returned a little smile. "See you tomorrow, Stevie." And as soon as the geek had left, the vampire walked around, to the front of the couch, and gently petted her cat.

After a moment, the creature's eye lids cracked open slightly. They were tinted red, and Alison's own eyes matched the color perfectly. _Hello, Bastet. Have you been a good kitty and watched over my master while I was away?_

The cat nodded.

_And did the little frog try anything?_

Once again the cat nodded, and scenes from earlier that night flashed before the ancient vampire's eyes. The transfer didn't take long; but by the time it finished, the vampire's eyes had narrowed into glowing, red slivers. 'She' glared daggers at the Frenchman who had dared to try something so forward with her sleeping master.

Bastet let out a little meow, and Alison turned back to the kitty. Her eyes softened and she ran her hand along the creature's back once more. Y_ou did well, my pet. Tomorrow, I'll bring you a nice, plump sewer rat to play with. _The vampire cooed over their mental connection, and Bastet licked her lips hungrily.

* * *

The next morning, Integra was slowly awakened by the smell of coffee brewing and fresh croissants baking. As the young knight stirred, she noticed an arm draped over her. A puzzled expression formed on Integra's face; but as she looked around and noticed she was in the Bernadette's living room, rather than one of the private rooms, the young knight felt somewhat reassured. She slowly raised the quilt; and finding herself still fully clothed, even if the clothes had been ruffled and messed by spending the night in them, Integra's mind was put at ease.

She sat up and looked over at her still sleeping boyfriend. He, too, was still fully clothed; but his long hair was even more of a mess than hers. His mouth was hanging open slightly; and as the young knight grabbed his arm, which had slid down to her lap when she sat up, and lifted it away, her sleeping boyfriend stirred and moaned in protest.

Integra stifled a giggle. After all, a proper English knight shouldn't giggle like a schoolgirl... even if she was one. "Shhhh." She whispered to Pip and ran her hand over the side of his face. "It's okay." The merc smiled through his half-sleep, and rolled over.

Integra stood up and straitened out her clothes as best she could. She'd go take a shower and change soon... but first, she wanted some of that delicious smelling breakfast. She entered the kitchen to find a serving platter, full of croissants, resting in the the center of the table.

Mrs. Bernadette saw the young girl hungrily eying the platter and chuckled. "Help yourself, Deary. That's what they're there for, after all."

Integra smiled at the kind woman and made her way over to the table. As she reached it, a feminine voice rang out from somewhere behind the young knight. "Well, well, sleepy head, look who's finally up." Alison greeted her master as the former walked into the kitchen. "Sleep well?" The vampire asked with a suggestive tone that was just subtle enough for Mrs. Bernadette to miss.

At first Integra felt slightly... revealed to find that her servant had indeed returned safely. But then the young knight caught the vampire's implication, and she responded with a brief glare. "Why yes... thank you. Did you have fun with Steve?" The Mini-Hellsing countered as she turned around, walked over to the pot of brewing coffee and poured herself a cupful of the rich, dark liquid.

Alison grinned. "Yes, 'Tegra'... Quite a bit of fun, in fact."

Integra finished pouring her cup of coffee and sat down at the table. _Not too much fun, I hope... Is the geek still alive?_ The young knight thought over their mental link.

_Master... You wound me._ The vampire replied with mock hurt. _Of course Steven's still alive. As I said, we just had some... 'fun' last night._

_Oh, and just what sort of 'fun' were you having that prevented you from answering my call. _Integra thought as she reached for a croissant.

Alison's eyes lit up. _Now, Master, what sort of fun do a teenage boy and girl usually have when they sneak off in the middle of the night?_

Integra's eyes went wide for a moment at her servant's implication. Could it be possible that the two of them were... were...? No, her servant was just trying to make her jealous. That had to be it. Surely, the vampire didn't see her 'boyfriend' as anything more than a tool that 'she' could use to further 'her' own ends. _Alucard, I don't believe that you two were... having that kind of 'fun'. Now, what were you two real-_

_Oh,_ the vampire interrupted, _and why not? If you're going to sleep with the frog... do you really begrudge me a little fun with my own boyfriend?_

Integra glared daggers across the kitchen table. _Watch your thoughts, Vampire. I'll have you know that Pip was just as chaste and respectful as you were... even more so. He was a perfect gentleman last night._

_Indeed, Master?_ Alison grinned coyly. _Well then, would it surprise you to know that your 'perfect gentleman' has wandering hands? He tried to feel you up in your sleep._

_And just how could you possibly know that?_ Integra's glare intensified. _What, were you watching me while I slept?_

_No, Master. Of course not... But Bastet was, and she told me what happened._

Integra's glare softened and shifted into more of a disbelieving stare. _Your pet cat told you what happened? _

_She is a vampire, Master._

Integra let out a little sigh. Now Alucard was just being ridiculous... and to think, she'd almost believed him about Pip. _Enough, Vampire._ Integra replied as she finished off her croissant and rose from the table. Focusing her attention back on the original subject, Integra warned,_ The next time I call for you, you had better answer... or, I swear, you will regret ignoring your master. _And with that Integra took her half full cup of coffee and started to walk out of the kitchen.

_As you wish, Master._ Alison replied as Integra continued to walk out of the room, and the young knight smiled as she realized that she'd just secured another victory in their 'games'. But then the vampire's lip curled, and she added. _And the next time, I'll even send along pictures of our 'fun', Master... Strictly to ease your mind and convince you that Steve's quite alive... and having a good time, of course._

For a moment, Integra froze. Her eyes widened in shock from her servant's implication, and she did her best to control her temper. After all, her servant wanted her to loose her cool, to lash out at him, to show him her 'inner tigress'. Well, if that was what he wanted... then she would do the opposite. She would not reward his behavior. So, instead, she paused for a moment and regained her composure. Then, and only then, did she calmly reply, _That level of description... will not be necessary, Alucard. Just don't ignore me next time._ Then Integra took a sip from her cup and calmly continued up the stairs.

Over in the kitchen, Alison's smile vanished, and her face fell into a pouting expression. Apparently her master didn't want to 'play' anymore.

(Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid and Ladykirie.)


	25. Double Date part 1

**Double Date part 1**

**AN:** Okay, we are now pleased to bring you the first chapter of 'Double Date, a Metropolis kid and Ladykirie joint project. Hope you enjoy. :)

Three days after falling asleep together on the couch, the French mercenary finally made good on his promise and took his girlfriend to the City of Lights.

It took the pair over two hours to reach Paris; but as the day continued on, Integra decided that it had been well worth the drive. They toured the Arc de Triomphe, a monument commissioned by Napoleon himself and dedicated to the memory of all those who fought and died for France. Beneath the arc, rested France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a dedication to all the soldiers who gave their lives in defense of their countries and were too horribly disfigured to even be identified by their loved ones.

There was a similar monument in England. Within Westminster Abbey, rested England's Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. But though both service men were laid to rest on the same day (thereby making both tombs the 'first' memorial for the unknown dead of World War I), France had gone a step further and lit an 'eternal flame' within their tomb, the first eternal flame to have been lit in Europe in over a thousand years.

Integra and Pip broke away from the rest of their tour group and spent a few extra minutes lingering in the memorial. They held hands as they stared at the flame, watching it dance before their eyes. Pip thought of his Father, who's body had never been recovered from its final resting place in South America. Integra's thoughts were for her own soldiers, many of whom she knew would meet such horrible fates, at the hands of the undead they battled with, that they themselves would likely become 'unknown soldiers'. It was a solemn and quiet moment between the two, the kind of moment that two people shared without having to say a word to each other.

After their tour of the Arc de Triomphe, Integra and Pip spent a few hours investigating the Musee du Louvre. They wandered through the various curatorial departments, surrounded by everything from Egyptian mummies to Greek sculptures to the **more** recent, paintings, prints and drawings.

They did not bother joining a tour group this time. Instead Integra and Pip reveled in the freedom of being able to explore the museum at their own pace. They passed by many paintings, produced by the 'Old Masters', without stopping to give the masterpieces a second glance.

If they'd had more time, the two would've joined a group again and listened to all the important cultural and symbolic aspects involved with the masterpieces. However, the Louvre was vast and held thousands upon thousands of priceless works of art.

It would've been impossible to investigate it all in a single day. And the two love birds didn't even have that; there were still other places Pip wanted to show his girlfriend. And so the two continued on through the museum, only stopping to admire a work of art when it struck a deep and personal cord in one... or both of them.

After a few hours in the Louvre, Integra and Pip went to the Eiffel Tower. They took two lifts and walked up the last fifteen steps to reach the observation Platform. There they stopped and spent a few minutes admiring the view.

It was magnificent. There the ancient city laid, stretched out before them like one of the masterpieces that hung in the Louvre. Pip pulled Integra close and whispered something French into her ear. The young knight didn't know what the merc had said, but the tone was soft and sweet. And she smiled at him.

Then they descended the staircase and took the tower's second lift down to the first level. There they stopped at a restaurant, Altitude 95, and ordered a couple of meals. Pip suggested that they have the meals boxed up and take them down to the grassy Champ de Mars, and Integra thought it was an excellent idea.

And it was then, while lazily picnicking in the beautiful park, that Integra's nice, peaceful date suddenly took a very stressful turn. _I told you that the city would cloud your mind and wear down your defenses, Master. _A deep, velvety voice cooed in Integra's mind; and she jerked upward, suddenly becoming very alert, and looked around.

_You don't have the slightest idea what that little pervert whispered into your ear, do you, Master? _The voice continued as the young knight caught sight of 'Alison' emerging from behind a line of trees.

_Alucard!_ The mini-Hellsing's eyes narrowed. _What are you doing here? How did you even get here?! We have the car!_

_We biked,_ the vampire replied simply.

_Biked? You biked one hundred and twenty three kilometers!_ Integra was nearly flabbergasted by the claim.

_Now, Master, it's really not **that** impressive. A bunch of humans did it back in 1869 and again a hundred years later... Of course, we made **much** better time than they did._

We? Integra thought. The vampire had already used the word once, but the young knight hadn't caught it. She'd been too shocked by the fact that her 'pet' had peddled a bicycle all the way from Rouen to Paris... and just to interrupt her date with Pip!

As if in response to Integra's question, 'Alison' stepped aside; and the young knight saw Steve emerging from the same line of trees that Alison had a moment before. The poor geek was white faced and held an expression as if he'd just seen the devil himself, and Integra lost control of her temper. _**You... you bloody fool!!!**__ You biked over a hundred and twenty miles... in what?... six hours?... with Steve riding along?! What's wrong with you! Don't you think he's going to get suspicious and start asking questions?! _The young knight exploded over their mental connection.

Alison smiled mischievously, and her eyes sparkled happily. Her master was finally playing with her again, and the vampire really couldn't be more pleased. _Four hours, actually. _They could've reached Paris faster. However, Steve had kept shouting for Alison to slow down, and she became worried that the geek might actually faint and fall of the back off the bike if she pushed things too far. _And don't worry about Steve. _The creature continued coyly._ He knows better than to ask questions he doesn't want the answers to._ She finished as she began to make her way towards her master.

Integra wondered what her 'pet' could possibly mean by that; but before she could think the question over to the vampire, Pip's eyes finally caught sight of the other pair of 'love birds'. "Al-Alison? Steven? What are you two doing here?" He asked obviously as surprised, by their appearance, as Integra had been.

"Oh, I thought it would be fun to pay a little visit to some of Paris's landmarks, and then I remembered that my roommate and you were having this little date. So I asked Steve if he thought it would be fun to double with you two."

"But... but how did you two get here?" Pip asked, his mind not yet processing the fact that his girlfriend's 'roommate' was inviting herself and Steven into his and Integra's private date.

"Oh, we..." Alison began but was quickly cut off.

"They must've taken a train." Integra quickly cut in, fearing that her pet might actually tell the truth for once simply because it would cause more problems for the young knight.

"Oh," Pip replied and seemed satisfied by the answer.

Alison sat down on the grass beside Integra as Steve neared the small group. "So," the vampire asked, "where are we off to next?"

_Excuse me,_ Integra thought as she turned away from her boyfriend and towards her 'pet', _I don't remember giving you permission to join us._ The young knight's eyes narrowed.

Alison just smiled. _Well, if you would rather Stevie and I go off on our own, we can do that too. You just seemed bothered the last time we did that, Master. But if you really want to be alone with your French frog, I'm sure that, in a city the size of Paris, Steve and I can find __**something**__ fun to do._ Alison replied and couldn't resist parting her lips, turning the smile into a toothy grin.

And the little cogs in Integra's head began to spin like tires on the freeway. What did her pet mean by 'fun'? Normally, 'fun' for the vampire meant blasting someone's head off, caving in their skull or drinking their blood. Integra was fairly confident that Steve was safe. She had given her pet a list of rules after all. But as for the rest of Paris... well that was another story. There were some rules that should protect the city as well, but Alucard had proven quite adept at finding loopholes. And Integra wondered just how much damage her pet could cause without technically violating the rules.

But what worried Integra even more was the other possible meaning of 'fun'. She wasn't worried about the idea of 'Alison' getting... 'intimate' with 'her' geeky boyfriend... no, not exactly. Once again, Integra knew that Steve would be safe... well, reasonably safe; and the rest of Paris would be kept out of harm's way.

But the young knight was... bothered by the thought, and **that **concerned her even more than the idea of her 'pet' finding a loophole and having his 'normal' kind of 'fun'. She shouldn't care! As long as the innocents were safe and her servant obeyed her orders, she shouldn't care what perverted 'fun' he indulged in; but she did.

She would deny it, of course, deny it with her dying breath, if need be. And she did her best to shield such traitorous thoughts from any 'surface scans' her servant might have been preforming. But though she would deny it, though she did her best to hide it, it was still the truth.

"Pip suggested we visit Cignancourt next." Integra replied out-loud, answering her roommates last spoken words and avoiding actually admitting to the vampire that she didn't want him and Steve going off on their own.

* * *

The Flea Market of Cignancourt was brimming with life, like a piece of bread on an ant hill. Vendors called out, attempting to sell their wares to an eager public. Antique mirrors shone silver in the sun while rich, Persian rugs flapped in the almost-summer breeze. On folding tables, costume jewelry sparkled and glowed behind rows and rows of glass vases, blue, green and amber hues catching the eye. Everywhere one turned, a trinket, treasure, or piece of trash was present. For Integra, all this clutter was a bit overwhelming. She felt as if she was in some sort of ancient bazaar in a foreign land.

_Well, Paris is strange, _the young knight reminded herself,_ heavy food, strange language and even stranger citizens... _She cast a glance to her boyfriend, who was maneuvering himself through the dense crowds. The young man shot her a cheerful glance as he pulled her hand along gently. _Strange, but at least well-meaning... _She mentally countered, and smiled back at Pip.

"Keep up!" Pip chimed, "It's almost noon and things are starting to get pretty crowded around here." The pair bounced over to a table filled with picture postcards and vintage books.

Through dark sunglasses, 'Alison' pitched a nasty look at the pair of love birds. The bright, May sun made 'her' eyes strained, and the various transformations and regenerations from a few nights ago had left her edgy and slightly weakened.

The vampire grumbled curses under her breath, especially when she saw the boy's hand slip around her master's waist and pull the young knight in tightly as the pair peeked at a novel.

Steve was still completely oblivious to the inner tumult that his 'girlfriend' was feeling. He was just thrilled that he seemed to have been able to get closer to her over the past few days and nights. The teen was still regaining his normalcy after his experiences within the cathedral; but, somehow, it left him a feeling a little bit bolder, more confident. However, 'Ali' seemed to have gotten more moody and cranky over the last few days.

Perhaps she wasn't feeling well, or it was **that** time of the month; a few other scenarios played through his head: food poisoning, lack of sleep and homesickness. But with that edgy smirk on her face and the way her brows knitted together, it dawned on him that perhaps finding a chocolate stand would be a great way to alleviate her ills. With a smile, Steve put his hand on Alison's shoulder, but she merely bristled a bit and returned a wan grin.

"Having a good time?" He cheerfully asked.

Out of the corner of 'her' eye, Alison could see the little frog pulling up a book on "Erotic Art Through the Ages". He was grinning boldly, flipping pages, as her master blushed and playfully slapped his arm. The vampire could make out their conversation clearly, even through the din of the surrounding crowd.

"Hey, it's not dirty. That piece is at the University gallery! Of course, she's not as pretty as you are..."

Teeth clenched together, and Alison felt her blood boil. Ignoring Steve's affection, she sauntered over to the couple and prevented further fancy flattery from the filthy French frog. "So, how are you two enjoying this little outing?" She sweetly inquired.

Whenever her servant took on that tone of voice, Integra knew that the creature was getting edgy.

"Having a great time!" Pip responded. "You won't believe what this guy has, books on everything. Some of these look like they're over a hundred years old!" The teen's eyes wandered over to a stack of postcard yellowing with age. "Hey, some of these are really old. Tegra, look at the date on this one."  
A dun-grey photograph of a spring garden from 1904 was in his hand. The paper was so thin that, when held up, the light grazed through it.

"These are lovely." The young knight replied and began to sort through them gently.

"Hey, Mira likes these kinds of landscapes. You don't mind if I pick out a few for her... and for Mauman, do you?" The boy asked.

Integra shrugged. "Sure, that would be very thoughtful."

Alison found a little loophole for torment within this innocent gesture. "So, picking up a few souvenirs for your other girlfriend?" She cooed in a tone that anyone, other than her master... or perhaps Walter, would've mistaken for innocent playfulness.

Integra's brow furrowed, but Pip just chuckled. "No, fraid I've given that up." He laced his arm around Integra's waist and pulled her close. "I'm only interested in Tegra these days." The merc continued. "Of course, there's no harm in picking up a few postcards for my **friend** and mum, right?" Pip countered, and Integra smiled.

The vampire scanned the Frenchman's thoughts for any betraying emotional vibrations, but there was no fire of passion as he thought of Mira, just the warmth of platonic friendship.

_Damn, _the creature thought, hoping to reveal Pip's 'true' intentions. _  
_

_Serves you right, bloody troublemaker...._ Integra's voice mentally chided. _He's trying to do something nice, and all you try to do is bring him down to a base level. Not everyone's so sexually driven, Alucard. _And to prove her point, Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing stuck out her tongue... with all the authority of an angry four-year-old.

(Well, we hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid and Ladykirie.)

* * *

**To Alunea:** Thanks for the review. I'm glad you've enjoyed this so far, that you've gotten such a kick out of Integra and Alucard's 'games'... and the punishments that often follow. :) Don't worry, there should still be at least a couple more chapters to this. I just hope you continue to enjoy them... oh, and don't forget to review and let us know what you think. Hehe. Thanks. :)

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.


	26. Double Date part 2

**Double Date part 2**

**AN:** This chapter written by Metropolis Kid, based on an outline given by Ladykirie. Hope you enjoy. :)

When Integra was done looking through the various trinkets that caught her eye, 'Alison' suggested that the group go visit the military museum of Le Infantre. "It's the home of Napoleon's 'wonderful-war-stuff'." The vampire informed with a polite smile.

Pip and Integra both looked thoughtful for a moment, but then their faces shifted into an accepting expression. They both had a fondness for war history. And though it was a suggestion made by her 'pet', which made Integra a bit nervous, even she didn't see what possible harm could come from paying a visit to the museum of Le Infantre.

The young knight nodded just as Steve walked over and rejoined the small group. The geek tapped his 'girlfriend' on her shoulder, causing the vampire to quickly turn on him, a measure of annoyance in her expression. But before Alison could snap at Steve, he handed her a medium sized box. "I thought you might like these," the geek said. And the gesture was just unexpected enough to overcome the vampire's annoyance at the boy touching her without permission and drawing her attention away from her master.

A curious look passed over Alison's face, and she opened up the box. To her surprise, it was filled with chocolate covered strawberries. The vampire's lips curled into a slight, but genuine smile.

Chocolate covered strawberries was one of the few deserts... **human** desserts that she could actually enjoy. The strawberries may have been covered in processed chocolate-rich, delicious... but processed chocolate. However, the strawberries themselves were still 'raw'. And raw fruit, like raw meat, was a thing that her vampiric body wouldn't reject.

The treat wouldn't hold anywhere near the nutrients found in fresh blood, but then even humans' didn't eat candy because it was good for them. In fact, the chocolate delight would've been less healthy to a human than a vampire. No, they ate things like that because they enjoyed the taste, and so would she. "Thank you." The vampire replied sweetly... and actually meant it. She pulled out one of the smaller strawberries, popped it into her mouth, closed the box back up and then reached out and playfully pinched the right cheek of Steve's face.

Steve smiled. Pip grinned, finding the small display of affection quite cute. And, safely hidden beneath a mask of indifference, Integra glared. "I thought we were going to the museum of Le Infantre." The young knight stated with just a tad more force than she'd intended, though her displeasure was still subtle enough for the two human males to remain completely oblivious to it.

Ah, but Integra's 'pet' vampire was anything **but** oblivious. And as the small group set off for the the museum, Alison came up close behind her master. _Tell me, Master, are you upset that your own boyfriend didn't get you any chocolates... or is something else responsible for this jealousy?_ Alison thought with a smirk.

_I'm not jealous!_ Integra insisted a bit too emphatically. _And keep your thoughts to yourself, Vampire!_

Beneath the fifteen-year-old-girl mask, Alucard chuckled to himself. For once he'd actually displayed some minor affection, towards the young geek, that wasn't geared towards manipulation. However, making his master jealous was still a delightful bonus.

* * *

Pip, Integra and Alison all seemed to be enjoying their trip to the museum filled with ancient weapons. Steve, on the other hand, was not. It wasn't that the geek disliked museums... or even weapons. He actually thought weapon construction was interesting; he'd even managed to cobble together a flaming sword during the 'zombie invasion'. No, the only reason Steve wasn't enjoying himself, as much as the rest, was that he felt like a complete rube.

Both Pip and Integra were constantly discussing the history of the weapons' development and improvement and how everything, from reload time to accuracy, effected the battles fought with them. Even Alison piped in on occasion, though she was quieter than the other two and usually only interrupted their conversations to correct a factual wrong.

To Steve the whole thing felt like something out of the Twilight Zone. Both Pip and Integra, two teenagers, seemed to know enough about ancient weapons and battles to rival a college professor. And as for his date, it was like Alison had actually been around when each new innovation was first made!

Oh how Steve wished that they would come upon a room filled with Federation phasers, Romulan disrupters and Jedi lightsabers. Then he could show off too. But alas, it was a history museum, not a sci-fi one. And Steve could do nothing but hang back and listen to everyone else drone on about ancient weapons and battles fought long ago. _Oh well_, the geek thought to himself as he moved a little bit closer to Alison. At least he was getting to spend some time with her, without having to deal with mischievous ghosts or anything else that scared him half to death. So, the day wasn't a total loss.

Eventually, the small group, reached a room filled with various holy and blessed weapons; and as soon as Alison crossed the room's threshold, she felt uneasy. It wasn't a painful feeling, though the room was filled with enough holy objects that a weaker vampire would likely have passed out. But for Alison, the only discomfort was a... 'fluttering' feeling in her stomach.

Were she taking part in a battle, the feeling would've been completely overpowered by her own adrenaline... and blood lust. However, she was not in the midst of a fight and the fluttering feeling was beginning to make her slightly nauseous.

So, while Pip was pointing out a blackened piece of mettle that some claimed to be one of the fragments from Joan of Arc's shattered sword and discussing how the sword had broken when Joan struck it into the back of a prostitute in Saint Denis, Alison separated herself from the group. The vampire headed out of the room; and as soon as she crossed the threshold again, the uneasy feeling in her stomach vanished.

Steve followed his 'girlfriend' out of the room. He asked her if she was okay, sounding very earnest and attentive. But Alison just brushed the topic aside. "I'm feeling fine," she said, and it was even the truth. She was feeling fine... now.

"I'm just... just heading to the lady's room."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Steve asked after a moment. Alison always looked a little pale, but he'd caught a tinge of green entering her cheeks, and he was worried about her.

"Now don't start getting clingy." The vampire half teased, half warned the geek. "Go back and listen to Pip's little history lesson. I'll catch up in a few minutes." What she meant was that she'd rejoin the group once they'd left the room of holy weapons; and until then, she wanted to insure that the perverted little, French frog didn't get anymore alone time with her master.

"Alright," Steve slowly replied, "if you're sure."

"I'm sure that you're not coming into the ladies room with me... if that's what you're getting at." Alison replied sternly and then laughed when Steve's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"T-that's not what I-I was getting at."

The vampire smiled. "I know," she replied and messed the boy's hair before walking away from him.

Alison headed towards the Lady's room. After all it was best too keep up appearances, and it didn't much matter where she was. She could 'keep an eye' on her master from anywhere in the building. So the vampire walked down the richly decorated stone and marble hallway, eventually turning a corner that led to a room filled with nineteenth century canons. And it was then that she heard a familiar voice.

"Ah... Alison, so good to see you again. Tell me, what brings such a beautiful creature to Paris?"

The vampire immediately stiffened. She remembered that voice. "Maxwell." Alison nearly growled as she turned to look behind her. Sure enough, there stood the annoying little Catholic acolyte who'd been her unwanted shadow for the better part of a day.

In his left hand, the young man had a book; and as Alison looked more closely at the spine, she noticed it was a copy pf the same book on erotic artwork that Pip had used to tease her master. The vampire absently wondered if it was just a bizarre coincidence, and the acolyte happened to own **another** copy of the book... or if he'd been at the flee market, bought the same **exact** book and stalked her all the way to the museum of Le Infantre.

But Alison's train of thought was interrupted as Maxwell quickly snatched her hand. "Ah, so you remember me? Good. Good." He kissed it softly, causing a shiver of disgust to run down Alison's spine.

The vampire's eyes narrowed. "Did I say you could take such liberties?"

Maxwell released the hand and let it fall back to the vampire's side. "I beg your pardon, Madam." He replied, doing his best to sound suave and seductive... and, in the Count's experienced opinion, failing miserably. "After that little... incident at the pre-party, I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. And I'm afraid that, when I caught sight of you just now, your beauty overwhelmed me; and I quite forgot my manners."

Well, Alison had to give the little Catholic credit for one thing. He knew the right lines. If he ever managed to fake sincerity and deliver them properly, he might actually become a half way decent seducer someday. "My beauty is hardly justification for your brutality, Sir," the vampire replied coldly and turned to walk away, but Maxwell ran around and placed himself in her path. _Oh, not this again, _Alison thought.

"I offer you my apologies, once more, Madam," Maxwell said. "But perhaps I can make it up to you. There's a charming little cafe not more than a block from here, and their pastries are to die for. We could sit, talk... pick up where we left off."

"The pastries are 'to die for'?" the vampire questioned. "You must not place great stock in your life if you're willing to surrender it for one moment of carnal delight." She continued before huffing and attempting to leave once more.

Again, Maxwell intercepted Alison; and the latter wanted so desperately to just rip the annoying little acolyte apart and be done with it. But alas, she was not allowed to indulge in such fantasies. She had to be 'a good pet' and follow her master's rules.

"Touche, touche." Maxwell laughed. "True, I do not consider the pastries worth my life," he consented and then leaned in until his face was closer to Alison's than was appropriate. "However, I do believe that there are certain other... 'carnal delights' that are worth such risks, don't you?"

The vampire raised one of her eyebrows. "Indeed? What a strange little Catholic you must be," she replied, her tone slightly distant, as if she was thinking to herself more than talking to the acolyte. "Tell me..." Alison continued, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "Would you be just as willing to surrender your soul for these other 'carnal delights'?"

Maxwell took a step back. There was something in the 'girl's' demeanor that made the acolyte wonder if, perhaps, they'd moved beyond harmless banter. "I-I-I," he stammered for a moment, as a little voice shouted a silent warning in his head. "The soul... the soul is not something to be gambled with," he finally stated.

Alison grinned coyly and took two steps forward, pressing her body against his. "Ah, but we're not talking about a gamble," she whispered into the acolyte's ear. "We're talking about a trade," she continued and gently nibbled on the lobe.

Maxwell's body began to tremble. However, years of listening to Anderson's Bible readings and lectures had given the boy just enough spiritual sensitivity to realize that he had gotten in waaaaay over his head. "I-it'sss not... not something to be t-traded either," the Catholic acolyte replied and was just barely able to pull himself free of the 'girl's' soft, alluring, tempting form.

"I-I'm afraid that I must go. I-I just remembered I have a very important appointment, and I can't be late," the Catholic continued. He bent into a hasty bow and then practically ran out of the room.

Once Maxwell was gone, Alison promptly broke out into a fit of girlish snickering and giggling; and the vampire briefly wondered why she hadn't thought to deal with the acolyte like that last time.

(Well, we hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid and Ladykirie.)


	27. In a Quiet, Little Cafe

**In a Quiet, Little Cafe**

**AN: **Sorry ladies and gentlemen. I know it's been awhile. It's just that Ladykirie and I have both been rather busy, and... Well, sorry about the long wait. But, on the bright side, you shouldn't have to wait as long for the next chapter. And now, without further adieu, A chapter brought to you courtesy of Ladykirie (Betaed by Metropolis Kid.)...

The day at the museum had been wonderful; and as the heat began to mellow into a more comfortable evening warmth, what better way to end the day than with a supper under the stars? A little cafe was found not too far away, just like that lecherous little priest-in-training had described. But to everyone's delight, it served a full menu, in addition to the rather tempting-looking desserts. The young teens checked out their wallets and decided that this was a perfect way to conclude their trip. However, Integra was a little surprised when her boyfriend ordered not one, but two bottles of wine with their meal.

"Aren't you a bit young to be doing this?" she whispered.

Pip shrugged. "Only by a few months - Besides, don't you drink wine back in England? Or is it only beer for you Brits?" he teased, slipping his fingers into hers. "And, it's boring to eat without drinking, don't you think?" he quipped.

"Oh absolutely..." 'Alison' agreed. _I would love to have a 'drink', drain your arrogant ass and leave you here... _'she' continued in her mind.

To say that the vampire was brooding, would've been an understatement. It was more like scheming, or plotting Pip's immanent doom. After all, how hard could it be to orchestrate just a little accident where the boy was sent home missing a few of his more delicate and private bits? Or maybe, by a freak chance of fate, the merc could end up with a finger or two lopped off... Naughty, bloody scenarios played out in Alucard's head. However, much to his dismay, his master did not even interrupt these dark thoughts; for she seemed too wrapped up in cuddling with the French frog to even notice!

Upset by her master's indifference, Alison gritted her teeth while Steve ordered grilled vegetables with couscous. The geek did not even bat an eye when his 'date' grumbled- to the garçon -that she wanted her roast beef raw. Instead the boy just gazed lovingly at his 'girlfriend'. Sure she had some strange habits, but hey, nobody was perfect. Besides, he was finally getting used to them.

The meal actually went fairly smoothly, the raw hunk of cow seeming to somewhat calm the vampire's blood lust. The conversation turned to family, and Steve felt comfortable enough to open up a bit about his parents and little sister. In fact, after the geek's first glass of wine, the other guests could hardly believe how much the usually quiet boy could talk.

The waiter kept refilling the glasses with water and vino, a deep Shiraz that was rich, velvety and accompanied the dishes quite well. The meats and fish were savory, the veggies crisp, and the Morrocan-styled dish deceptively filling. A small plate of golden, dried apricots accompanied Steve's entrée. They were tiny, shriveled things that resembled chunks of leather, but they were also remarkably sweet.

Pip speared one with his fork and grinned. "My great-Grandpere was stationed off in Moracco back during World War I. He got into the silver business out there after his duty ended. If you go up to the tip of Algeres, there's a Bernadette homestead there."

"But I thought you said that the home you had now was like the family homestead?" Steve inquired. "Did they have more than one estate?"

"Yeah, Grandepere Paul had two. He had a 'Captain's Paradise', so he had to keep his estates separate, but equal."

Integra looked confused. "'Captain's Paradise', what's that mean?"

"Well, he had a wife and family in France, and one in Algeres. Traveled back and forth between the two- a few weeks here and a few weeks there -for well over thirty years."

Steve paused for a moment with the fork in his mouth, while Alison cocked an eyebrow. "No wonder, his whole family is made up of perverts..." she whispered low. However, the jibe was still loud enough for Pip to overhear. The boy's eyes flashed, and Steve sensed that esspresso was not the only thing currently brewing...

"Knock it off." The Integra warned, and 'Allie' responded with a smirk.

"Hey, look, it's a cultural difference," Pip defended. "He took care of both families very,very well. When he passed away, both sides were there. Everyone knew about everybody. It wasn't like he was hiding anything. In fact, we still have these 'cousins' on dad's side that come to family functions... everyone's welcome." The young man was starting to get flushed, and not just from the wine.

Integra could sense the frustration building off both parties. All weekend, it was as if her 'pet' was posed like a lioness, just waiting for Pip to say something she could pounce upon. And the vampire seemed to think she'd finally found it.

But, fortunately, Pip got up, drained his glass and, rather than continuing the... disagreement, proclaimed, "I'm going to go inside and check out the desserts." And with that, the young merc slipped into the cafe, leaving Steve to deal with the two girls, who did not seem to be in the best of moods.

"That was rude." Integra stated flatly, "Very, rude."

"What?" Alison replied with a mock innocent tone. "I just find his family history a bit disturbing, not to mention immoral..."

_Bullocks, you're not offended at all- need I remind you that you had a whole, bloody harem? You just want to upset Pip at any cost,_ the Mini-Hellsing mentally countered as she continued glaring. "Go inside and apologize to him," She commanded out loud.

"No," Alison refused stubbornly.

Integra's eyes narrowed and her jaw set firmly. "Get up and go apologize this minute," she stated icily; and as if compelled to obey, the dark-haired girl rose. Still she showed her protest in the only way she could... by stomping her way through the crowd and to the entrance of the eatery.

Steve merely swallowed his wine and stared blankly at the young blonde who right then, had all the command of a general. Geez, the more time he spent around girls, the more Steve was beginning to realize that the 'fairer sex' was down right scary...

"So, um.... have you seen the new Back to the Future boxed set?" the geek asked nervously, attempting to defuse the bomb building at his table. However, the young knight just sighed, and downed her glass of Shiraz in one, long gulp.

The inside of the Cafe was bustling with people. Busy waiters were balancing teetering trays like acrobats. The pretty hostess led new patrons to their tables. All sorts of diners were currently supping. A middle-aged couple cooed over plates of crepes and mounds of crème. A young family seemed to be enjoying a night out with their toddler, who was being quite good-natured as her father stuffed her with spoonfuls of soup.

Alison's eyes crossed the room and settled on the back of the young Frenchman who was standing next to a tall rotary-style case filled with elaborate, towering cakes and other tempting sweets. Slowly, the vampire approached and touched the boy on his shoulder. A pair of irritated green eyes flashed back.

"Um... Hi," Alison grumbled. She did not want to be in where she was, doing what she was about to do. The vampire had absolutely no genuine interest in this boy... other than to keep his hands off of her master. Personally, the creature could care less if Pip's 'delicate' feelings were pushed under a MAC truck; but in order to keep peace between with her master, she would push back the anger that was welling up in her throat- like a polite supper guest who didn't have the heart to spit out that surprise chunk of grizzle from their steak.

"What do you want?" Pip asked flatly.

The vampire cast a sweet grin, attempting to be coy. "Creme Brulee and a cup of coffee?" she cooed, and the Merc arched a brow as his lips tugged into a slight frown. "I just wanted to say sorry. I mean, everyone has a family, so I guess that I have to be a little more, um, 'open-minded' about yours." Even though the statement was addressed as pleasantly as possible, the teen appeared unphased.

"Thanks," he muttered. There was a long, tense pause as the pair circled around the glass case, Pip seeming to pay his tormentor little mind, as the young merc examined what a lemon torte. "You don't like me, do you?" he finally asked, mater-of-factly.

"Not really, no." Alison countered, equally calm.

"You don't want me to date your friend? "

"Nope."

"Are you jealous- worried that I'll break up your friendship... or come between you two?"

"No," The vampire replied, though the merc's statement about coming between the two was closer to the truth than he could've ever suspected. _You already have,_ the vampire thought bitterly as a chocolate truffle caught her eye, and her mouth began to water. Even the un-dead had their living weaknesses.

"Then why don't you give me a chance- why treat me like I'm some kind of jerk?"

"Why?" Ali paused for a moment and turned, striking a semi-thoughtful pose. "Let's see: you're arrogant, weak, carnal and above all... French. "

Pip sighed. "Haven't I treated Tegra... and you, decently?"

"Yes... Yes you have, but you can't fool me. I know all about you Frenchmen- all nice and romantic but what you really want... desperately want is to get her guard down so you can invade England... so to speak."

Pip's head rose up, and he cast a glare towards the dark-haired girl. "I've been nothing but a gentleman. What...- you've been listening to rumors, some bullshit that somebody made-up on campus?" His tone started to get acidic.

"Please," the vampire scoffed, "I've been around long enough to know your type." _And I don't have to listen to anyone to read the thoughts floating around in that sick little mind of yours; You'd screw a light bulb if you could!_ "Go on, why don't you just grab that nice, slice of cherry pie while you're at it? Isn't that what you've wanted all evening? Go ahead, take a little taste, dip a few fingers in... " Apparently, Alison's voice had become louder, for the couple with the two-year-old glanced up, the husband looking a bit embarrassed.

"You're being gross."

"No, I'm being truthful." Their tones were now bordering on aggression. A few other patrons began to cast stares at them.

"Can you please not attract any more attention to yourself; I might want to eat here again, someday." the teen growled between his teeth. His eyes darted back to the dessert case. "What do you think she'd like- pie or cake?"

The vampire let out a frustrated sigh. If the argument went on for much longer it might end up escalating into something that could really get her into hot water with her master. "She doesn't like sweets- Integra rarely eats them. I'd say go with something plain, basic-not chocolate covered, or whip-creamed to death."

"Fine... Some Belgium cookies? I'll get some for you and Steve, too." the boy sighed. "Just, back-off, okay? I'm trying to get to know you, Alison. You mean so much to her. Just give me a break, huh?"

The creature huffed, and turned on her heel, eager to get back outside- into the cool, night air. Besides... someone in the place was currently having escargot with heavy garlic, and her delicate nose was beginning to burn.....

When the vampire returned to her table, she was greeted by Steve, who was looking quite pale and slightly confused and Integra, who was currently half-sprawled on the table, some of the rich Shiraz spilled around her plate. An entire bottle was completely empty, not to mention Steve's and Pip's glasses were completely drained. "Hullo, did you two have fun in there?" the young knight slurred.

"What the... What happened to you?" Alison questioned, staring at her master.

Steve just shrugged. "She just started drinking while you two were inside- said something about calming down. Did you get to apologize to Pip?"

"Yes," the vampire responded, her voice sounding distracted, distant, as if she were only half listening to what her 'boyfriend' was saying. The creature's protective instincts were pricked up- it was not like his master to lose her sense of control. The scent of wine was heavy in the Mini-Hellsing's bloodstream. She had unbuttoned a few notches on her blouse, and her hair was being pulled off her shoulders in a sloppy, scattered mop.

"Oh, it's still so hot out here..." she trilled. Integra was nothing like this normally, so carefree, so relaxed...so, so.... feminine. The vampire gulped, sat down and proceeded to stab a piece of her raw supper.

Pip approached with a plate of cookies. "So everyone ready for dessert? Hey! What's going on here?" the teen questioned- a delighted look spreading over his face -as his date turned and flashed a wide grin. "Looks like somebody likes Shiraz...." the Frenchman cooed, placing an arm around her shoulders and leaning in to peck her head. "Cookie?" he offered; and the young knight nipped a bite from his fingers, literally eating out of his hand. Meanwhile, all Alison could do was look on....

"Are you alright... Sweetie?" Steve dared to ask.

"Yes... Fine... Couldn't be better...", Alison hissed between clenched teeth.

"Good," Steve replied, sounding unconvinced. "'Cause you're really bending the hell out of that fork..."

(Well, we hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Ladykirie and Metropolis Kid.)

(To Mina: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you are enjoying this and got such a kick out of Alison's new way off getting rid of the annoying little Acolyte. It is conceivable that Enrico may some day discover just who he's been crushing on... but not in THIS fic, I'm afraid. Sorry, but I hope you still continue to enjoy this.

Have a good day, and God bless.)

(To giovanna: Why yes... there is a next part. And I hope you enjoyed it, and will continue to enjoy this. Once again, sorry about the long time in between updates. Hopefully future chapters will not have breaks quite so long. LoL :P

Have a good day, and God bless.)


	28. The Effects of too much Alcohol

**The Effects of too much Alcohol (on a Young Knight's Libido).**

**AN: **This chapter brought to you courtesy of Metropolis Kid and Ladykirie.

In spite of all of his logic and reasoning (or perhaps because of it), Steve was completely confused. Alison had barely uttered a single word since the group had gotten into the cab while Integra, who was usually so calm, conservative and collected, was practically buried in Pip's lap and laughing like a ninny. And the French teen seemed to be loving every minute of it.

How could he? Alison looked at him as though she was planning to kill him- literally rip his head off. Her hands were embedded into the seat upholstery so harshly, that she was digging little gashes into the leather. When the French teen whispered something- in his native tongue -that made the young English woman blush, a small chunk of the seat leather came peeling off like dead skin. The geek gulped, and attempted to touch his 'girlfriend's' hand- to soothe her; but a razor-sharp glare was enough to pause his hand midway and send it retreating back to his own lap.

When the cabbie finally arrived back at the homestead, the Mini-Hellsing had to be propped up like a tailor's dummy and walked slowly to the door. Pip didn't seem to mind at all, especially when she pulled his arm tighter around her waist- to provide added support.

Uncle Paul greeted them at the doorway. "So, you're home earlier than I-Oh! Is she alright?"

"Yeah, just had a bit too much to drink at the cafe," Pip replied.

His uncle shot him a reprimanding look. "Phillipe," he began sternly, "what did you kids end up getting into?"

The teen made his way over to the couch and eased his girlfriend down onto a plump cushion. "We ordered some dinner and wine. That's all- no hard liquor. She ended up just having a bit more than her fair share."

The older man came to the couch and cautiously sat down. This young girl was soused- no question about it. Her eyes were glazed, and an over-eager smile pulled her lips back into a permanent bow. And though Paul did hate to admit it, he suddenly realized that the girl was a lot softer... prettier when she smiled. "Honey, what kind of wine did you drink?" he inquired.

It took the young girl a moment to answer. "It was red- Shiraz, I believe."

"Hoy- she's going to have a really good hangover tomorrow. Sulfates are a bitch to deal with." Uncle Paul turned to the rest of the group. "How bout one of you goes into the kitchen to boil up a pot of spearmint tea? It's over near the stove counter- on the left- in the large jar."

"I want to go upstairs...." Integra stated.

"I'll help her up," Pip replied.

However, his uncle pushed him toward the kitchen. "No- you go make tea. Alie- come here and take your friend upstairs."

"What about me?" Steve asked. His question was ignored as Alison scooped up her master and proceeded to guide her up the stairway.

"Please, try to go quietly? Everyone's turned in early for the night."

The 'girl' vampire nodded and moved upwards as Integra began to wobble. "Easy, Master," Alison whispered. "Are you feeling ill?"

The young knight shook her head. "Dizzy, but I'mmmm okay," she replied."Can I have my tea?"

"In just a little while. Watch your step." When they crossed the thresh-hold of the bedroom, the weight of the Mini-Hellsing's body shifted and lurched to the side, nearly causing Ali to fall over on top of her keep.

"Careful," the vampire reminded as the girl plopped down on her bed. The young knight removed her shoes and dropped them to the hard floor, producing two loud thuds. Then she stood up and rather roughly whipped the blanket and top sheet down. Unceremoniously, Integra fell back to the bed, her head almost landing on top of the little vampire cat who was currently occupying the Mini-Hellsing's head rest.

For a moment, Alison allowed her master to exhale and just took in the sight of her. Thick waves of hair were spilled out over the bed and pillows- like a wild river; and her young body- usually poised and raised in the utmost firm posture -was splayed and relaxed. The soft, sloppy smile never left her lips. Gently, the vampire removed her master's glasses and set them aside on the nightstand. A pale, slender finger ran its way down her cheek, as the young knight let a little sigh escape.

_I wonder if this is how she be after a particularly satisfying 'role in the hay',_ the... not completely 'dead' creature thought. _For Dis' Sake- get such thoughts out of your mind, she's... I..._ The vampire's inner voices began to ramble, as the inebriated girl started to pull her down by the shoulders and whisper something in her ear.

"I want you to help me undress," Integra commanded, and the creature gulped.

Of course, how could his master be comfortable in a formal blouse and skirt when pajamas would be so much more... comfy? It was a request, a simple request; and in her current state, he would not dream of taking this command any other way. Slowly, his fingers undid the buttons and peeled off the cotton blouse that smelled of Shiraz and his master's own mixed scent of summer air, a light talc and her rich note of skin and sweat.

It was a strange and oddly sensual mixture that made the vampire's hairs stand on end. The soft, rich color of Integra's skin contrasted sharply with the pale, lace bra. She was still a little flat for her age; but for a split second, the vampire couldn't help but wonder if his master's figure would fill out with time. After all, her mother had been quite voluptuous. But then the Mini-Hellsing could take after Arthur's side of the family- tall and lean. Such were the rather inappropriate thoughts which buzzed around Integra's servant's head.

However, when the young knight began to slip the straps off her creamy shoulders, the creature did turn away. To think about her bare body was one thing, but to see it was another... The rustle of fabric and the slight whir of the skirt zipper made a lump rise and fall in the vampire's throat.

"Can you get my summer pajamas out, top drawer- all the way to the left?" Integra asked- not demanded. And, like a devoted house maid, her servant retrieved the set- a simple tank top and flowing pants in pale blue and white cotton. Keeping his eyes cast downwards, he handed the garments to Miss Hellsing and took a few steps back.

The young knight dressed, though with some difficulty. Apparently, it was a lot harder to put one's arms through spaghetti straps when one was drunk. Also, knotting the pants proved quite impossible. "Alu-card, can you help tie me up?" Integra asked.

The creature's eyebrows shot up. Had the circumstances been different, he would die to hear those words; but alas, this was indeed a much more tame connotation. Cautiously, the servant sat down on the edge of the bed and moved nimble fingers over the drawstrings, knotting the loops in a perfect bow.

"Thank you," Integra stated; and for a moment, the two were nearly nose to nose. While the liquor still glazed her eyes, there was genuine warmth radiating from those normally icy blue orbs.

"You know," the vampire began, "young ladies should be very careful about whom they invite in- to help them go to bed... It could have been your frog leaping up here to help you."

Integra patted her servant's cheek. "Be nice," she half-warned.

"I am nice, very nice. I've been putting up with you tormenting me all day..." the creature replied, and Integra frowned. Her soft hand began to inch its way up her servant's cheek and into the side of the vampire's raven hair. Finger tips paused and began to circle.

"I'm sorry, but you do know how I feel about him-"

"I know- " the creature began to reply, his train of thought being wavered by the manipulations of his master's fingertips. "You feel affection for him." The vampire leaned in- near his master's ear. "Can't you feel 'affection' for me, too?" he quipped. Her pressure increased, sending a shiver racing through his spine.

Integra looked down. "I do..." she whispered. "It's just sometimes I have nooo idea what to do with it..."

"I see... Well, what would you... like 'to do with it', Master?"

A heavy pause hung between them, filled with possibilities. Slowly, as if each inch was a mile, the girl angled in and pressed her lips to her servant's. Her mouth tasted of wine and anticipation, and the vampire savored every inch of it. Their embrace tightened, but just as their bodies began to fit and merge, a knock at the door interrupted them. The pair broke in frustration, a grimace spreading over Integra's face.

And the vampire- looking down -suddenly became aware of something rather important. At some point while 'tending' to his master the creature's appearance had shifted from that of a fifteen-year-old girl to the teenage version of his male form. At first this fact surprised the vampire, for he could not remember triggering the change. Had he done so subconsciously... or had some unspoken desire of his master caused his body to reshape itself into a more pleasing form? Whatever the case, one thing was for certain... It would not be a very good idea to be seen, as he was, by the person standing outside the bedroom door. The 'young' Alucard's body quickly dissolved into that of 'Alison' just as a voice came from the other side of the closed door.

"Um, I have tea for you..." Pip called.

"Can you leave it outside? I'm... uh, getting ready for bed," Integra replied.

The creature was surprised- her master, fibbing, for what reason? Perhaps it was the wine speaking, or she just didn't really want to deal with the frog right then and there. But those thoughts completely slipped away when the young knight pinned her lips to the vampire's again, this time... with much more force.

The two stayed locked together for a moment, their tongues intertwined in a dance of desire, but then the vampire became aware that his pants suddenly seemed awfully tight. Breaking the kiss and looking down confirmed the creature's suspicion. Blast, he'd changed forms again. It had to be something his master was doing, and it was dangerous. The bedroom door had no lock, and the French frog had already stumbled in on them kissing once before. If that were to happen again (or someone else came in) with the vampire in this form... well, it would not be something easily explained away.

But didn't his master know that? So why was she doing it? Perhaps... perhaps she either wasn't aware of what she was doing, or hadn't thought it through and considered the consequences. Alucard sighed at the possibilities. Neither one was good, for they both meant that his master was worse off than he'd allowed himself to become convinced of.

Integra started to press her body into his again, her lips drawing closer to his, but this time the vampire lightly gripped the young knight's shoulders and held her back. Integra looked surprised

"I thought you wanted some affection?" she asked, her face a strange mixture of confusion, anger and... hurt?

Alucard shifted back into his 'Alison' form. "I do, Master, but... but I don't think this is the best time for it."

Integra huffed. "Excuse me, I did not realize I had to schedule an appointment." The young knight pulled back and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She looked very unhappy... maybe even a bit insulted.

"No, Master. It's not that. I just... You don't realize what you're doing." Alison moved her hand in to try to stroke her master's cheek, but it was batted away.

"I know exactly what I'm doing... **was** doing," the young knight stated sharply as she turned her back on the vampire.

"Oh really..." Alison rose from the mattress and hovered around Integra until 'she' was face to face with her master again. "And are you aware that you twice shifted my form, Master?"

At first Integra looked taken back. "I most certainly did not..." she replied, sounding offended- as if her servant's question had been meant as an accusation. "You... you lier."

Alison raised an eyebrow. Then she rather slowly, very calmly and solemnly asked, "Master, why would I lie?" Integra paused and seemed to be thinking about that question, and the vampire continued, "Don't you think I was enjoying your... 'affection'? What possible reason could I have to stop you... other than for your own good?"

Suddenly Integra's posture relaxed, and the anger seemed to drain from her. It seemed that even in her current, intoxicated state, the young knight was not totally beyond reason. "But," her face fell into a slight pout, "I'm lonely."

Alison couldn't help but smile. To the vampire, the Mini-Hellsing had always been beautiful, passionate, graceful and challenging. But this was the first time the young knight had looked... cute. The creature hovered over to her master and wrapped her arms around the blonde girl. "Better?"

"Yes." Integra relaxed her head against her servant's collarbone, exposing her neck a little bit more than was truly wise- given the circumstance. The vampire felt something stir within her and, for the first time, was actually glad to have the seals in place. They protected Integra, and removed any chance of temptation overpowering the vampire.

Alison rubbed her cheek against her master's and whispered into the young knight's ear, "I bet you're tired too."

"Yesss," Integra purred in reply.

The vampire laid her master down. "Then sleep, Master. Sleep."

"You won't leave me... will you?"

Alison briefly tightened her grip on the young knight. "Of course not, Master. Just go to sleep. I'll be right here." The Mini-Hellsing snuggled herself into the bed... and her servants embrace, shifting around until she was comfortable, and then the vampire extended a hand. She waved it towards her, causing the blankets to rise and gently stretch over the two.

* * *

When Integra awoke the next morning she was not very happy. First her skull felt as if she'd been using it to try to demolish a brick wall. And then, as the young knight tried to bring her hand up and massage her aching temples, she suddenly became very aware of the slender arm draped over her. Despite the pain in her head, Integra's eyes went wide with shock, and she desperately tried to remember what had happened the previous night.

The flashes that she could recall did nothing to put her mind at ease. Sitting on Pip's lap and making a fool out of herself the whole ride back to his family's house and then... Oh, Dear Lord, and then undressing in front of her servant and shoeing her boyfriend away so that she could make out with her pet vampire? _Just how far did things go anyway?!_ Integra thought as she rolled over and confirmed her suspicion of just who had spent the night in her bed.

Integra's tossing and turning must've disturbed the vampire, for 'Alison's' eyes fluttered open and she let out a little yawn. "Oh, good morning, Master. Did you sleep well?" the vampire greeted in a nonchalant sort of way, but her master could've sworn she saw the creature's eyes sparkle with mischievous mirth.

"G-good morning... Alucard," Integra replied while she tried to think of an appropriate way to respond to the situation. After a momentary pause, the young knight continued, "I'm not sure how I slept... But I feel awful this morning. Just... just what happened last night?"

"You mean you don't remember?" the raven haired 'girl' replied, and Integra knew... She just knew that somewhere behind Alison's innocent face, Alucard was flashing her that smug little grin of his.

"Not really. … Maybe, you could... uh, fill me in?" _Oh bloody Hell! That did __**not**__ come out right!_

"Of course, Master," Alison replied, still keeping up her innocent facade. "How much do you remember: the cafe; the cab; asking me to help you undress; agreeing to let me turn you; or the fun that came after that? What holes need... 'filling in' this morning?"

Integra was hoping her pet would miss the double entendre... but since she'd been the one to open the can of worms, she wasn't about to call him on it, not when there were more important matters to deal with. Integra ran the list through her head. _Lets see: The cafe... most of the cafe? Check. The cab... Err, embarrassing, but check. Asking him to help me undress? Possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done, but still check. Letting him turn me? Wait... __**WHAT?!**__ N-no way... not even drunk. He couldn't have... I-I couldn't have. N-no, no way! _But even as Integra's mind screamed at her that **that** hadn't happened, she couldn't help but wonder. If she'd asked him to help undress her, (which she did remember doing) just about anything was **possible**.

The young knight began to move her tongue around, carefully inspecting her teeth for any trace of fangs, and her servant's face suddenly broke into the grin that the creature had been suppressing for so long. "Bloody lying vampire," Integra growled and roughly kicked Alison out of the bed.

The vampire fell to the floor. She clutched her side, and Integra briefly wondered if it could be from pain. She didn't think she'd kicked the creature **that** hard. But then Alison erupted into a fit of girlish giggling.

Integra's hands went to her head, and the young knight quickly found herself protesting her servant's merriment. "Oh stop that, you blasted mid-evil torturer."

Upon realizing the effect her laughter was having on her hungover master, Alison immediately did her best to stifle it. "Sorry, Master," the creature said as she began to pick herself off the floor. "But after how good I was last night, I just felt entitled to a little fun this morning."

"How good you were?" Integra questioned.

"Oh don't worry, Master. You're virginity is still very much intact. All we did last night was kiss a little and fall asleep in each other's arms," the creature paused for a brief moment before continuing, "those awful vampire romance 'novelists' would be quite pleased."

"Not funny, Alucard," Integra grumbled.

"Sorry, Master," her pet replied, eyes down cast almost like a reprimanded puppy. "Can I help you with anything?" the creature continued as Integra's own eyes screwed shut from a particularly nasty wave of pain.

"Yes, actually... Find out if they've got any bloody Advil in this blasted house."

"Yes, Master," the vampire replied and bowed her head. "Don't worry. I get the feeling that this isn't the Bernadette household's first hangover. I'm sure they've got something." And with that the creature left, stepping over the- by now very cold -cup of tea still sitting outside the bedroom door and going off in search of something medicinal to ease her master's terrible headache.

* * *

When the pills kicked in and Integra found herself feeling slightly better, she headed down stairs and entered the kitchen. Pip's mother was already there, brewing a morning pot of tea The older lady turned to the young knight, and her eyes went wide.

Dear Lord, Integra was quite a sight half hung over. Those usually clear, ice-blue eyes were rimmed with red hell. Her long, blonde hair resembled straw, and the normally impeccable clothes were rumpled. Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing looked like a regal mess.

While the Bernadette Family was not one to pry for information, Mrs. Bernadette was concerned for the girl's welfare. She knew that her son was a bit of a ladies' man, but to get the girl drunk? No, Phillipe knew better than that. It must have just been youth assuming that it could handle what it couldn't.

"Are you feeling any better, dear?" she quipped while pouring breakfast tea.

The Mini-Hellsing mumbled something akin to "I'm fine, thank you." And then she dove into the steaming cup . Right now, solid food would not be a wise idea. But tea was warm, yummy... safe. Solid fare would come when her head wasn't feeling two sizes too small.

Across the table, a rather concerned-looking Pip and a rather irked looking Alison exchanged glances and observed every, slow, clumsy movement of the girl they both loved.

"So, I hope you're happy," Alison grumbled."She looks like she got run over by a lorry...."

"She doesn't look that bad," Pip retorted. "And there aren't any 'lorries' here in Paris."

The vampire rolled her eyes. "Whatever.....I bet you were hoping to tuck her in, weren't you?"

The young merc's eyes narrowed, and he responded by downing his coffee and digging into his breakfast- a trio of waffles drowned in butter.

The creature could sense his master still wavering in and out of being well.. .and then not-so-well. The vampire sighed and attempted to not remember the incidents of the previous night-the feel of her tongue, the warmth of her cheek and the rustle of her clothes as they peeled off her body.

(Well, we hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Ladykirie and Metropolis Kid.)


	29. Remembering the Past Looking Towards

**Remembering the Past; Looking Towards the Future**

**AN: **This last chapter brought to you courtesy of Ladykirie, Metropolis Kid and with a special contribution by Crow T. R0bot.

**PS.** In addition to this new chapter, another small scene has been tacked onto the end of the previous one- courtesy of Ladykirie.

* * *

While Integra, Pip and Steve were busy finishing their packing, two figures sat at opposite ends of the dinning room table- polishing off their afternoon coffees. A wordless glance was exchanged before the senior Bernadette let out a light sigh, and the young, raven-haired girl released one of her own.

"Tell me, Ali," Mr. Bernadette began. "Do you believe in deja vu?"

The girl sipped from her cup, and her eyes danced up ward. "Yes, why do you ask?"

The man pulled a thin, half-crumbled cigarette from his pocket and smiled. "When I was a young man, I was out in the field, dodging bullets- defending the Resistance on several fronts while attempting to keep my own neck safe. I was only a little bit older than Philippe when the Nazis were banging on our doors. They were a filthy lot- like dogs -ripping up everything and any one in their path."

There was a pause as the lighter clicked and spit forth a small, orange flame. The old man inhaled deeply and spat out a dense cloud of smoke. "It was an ugly, dirty war; but even us mercenaries felt a wave of pride against these bastards, you know? Everyone in the whole world seemed to be on our side. On a few occasions, we even saw other soldiers standing beside us. However, I was never really one for the British- too stuffy and old-fashioned for my tastes...."

'Ali' smirked and nodded. "I can relate...." she quipped.

"When I was first introduced to the English army, especially the 'special forces' troops, I was quite unimpressed- just a gaggle of little boys with too-big boots and guns waiting to become canon fodder. But then- a few weeks later -reserves were called in, and I was acquainted with the Hellsing Organization. Aurthur Hellsing came barreling on down , looking half mad- his hair all ruffled out like a haystack and this damn near insane grin splitting across his face as if this was the funniest private joke in the whole world. Not to mention, that he did not come alone. All the while, he was accompanied by a young girl, a slight thing, that couldn't have been any more than fifteen."

Alison cocked an eyebrow and leaned her chin on her hand. "Really- do go on. Was she his daughter?"

A thick cloud of smoke trailed out of his nostrils. "Not by the way he glanced at her. They stood too close, touched too much, and she had a look in her eyes that spoke volumes about how much she knew for her age. I care not to go into to detail, but something was not right with those two. She was beautiful though, all dressed in white, like she was going to a garden party. However, the old man did not just have her around for eye candy; no, that little girl was a damn spitfire. Later on I found out what she could do. The boys and I had been on the remains of a bombed out train station, and we didn't know what was waiting there for us. A gaggle of ground troupes were hiding, waiting in the rubble. These bastards started firing." The old man paused for a moment and pushed back the thick, grey hair along his temple. Underneath, the ghost of a scar creased in his skin.

"A bullet grazed me, hit my friend in the eye, killed him on impact. Two others dropped, and the whole world was exploding in blood and bullets. A second shot ricocheted off the concrete and imploded into my knees. I wasn't hurt... but on my side- knocked over. I had death staring me in the face, with three Bosch looming over. I closed my eyes, waited for the bang and then something flashed out of the corner of my eye. White, white, white. All three of those bastards lost their heads, ripped off like rotting cabbages . She was there- Aurthur's girl, but she didn't look like a girl anymore. Her face, it was twisted- she didn't look human. And those eyes- they looked like the pits of Hell. There was blood all over that white suit and her grin was insane. I thought she was going to kill me too, but instead, she let loose a laugh and just stood there, looking down at me." Mr. Bernadette halted and ashed his cigarette.

Silence hung heavy and for a brief moment, the older man stared directly into Alison's face; there was no charm, no suave demeanor that he had used for the duration of their meetings, but a plain, honest, and slightly nervous tone. "Do I remind you of her?" the vampire asked.

"Down to the very shape of your face- yes." He crumpled the smoldering butt into the saucer. "It's like staring into 1944 right now."

"Do I make you nervous?",

"A little....," he replied.

She steepled her hands and rested her chin. "You doooo realize that this young woman in question would be a very, very old lady by now, perhaps even passed on by. I'm just a school girl, Monsieur, only a helpless, little girl."

The man leaned in. "You, my dear are anything... but helpless. Underneath all that charm, you remind me of a tiger, coiled and ready to strike...."

Alison inched closer. "I _am_ a tiger, but right now, my claws are clipped, my teeth set back firmly behind my gums." A single, long finger leaned up and gently traced the side of his temple. The man felt drowsy, as if the wine he had drunk hours ago was resurfacing in his blood.

"She was beautiful," he murmured. "I never saw her again , but I always wonder what happened to her...."

Slowly, the fingertip slid down his jaw and traced the line of his chin. "Perhaps, after the war, she met a fine young man, and lived happily ever after....."

Mr. Bernadette closed his eyes and relished the soft caress of her hands. "I doubt that, Cherie, but it is nice to dream...", his voice began to slur. The fingers slid up and over his lips, and a slight smile crossed the creature's mouth.

"I always wonder why she saved me...." the old man whispered. "I wasn't anyone special, no general, no hero."

The vampire laughed. It was a light, silvery sound- like bells tinkling. "Maybe she knew that you were brave- that you were noble... even lying there, battered, bleeding and bent down in the dust. Maybe she could sense that you were heroic." Alison rose and stood next to the man, inches from his ear. "Perhaps, it was a little bird that told her that you saved a woman- brought her safely away to Switzerland."

The man snapped out of his trance and faced her, surprised. "Did Pip tell you about that, I-" His train of conversation halted when her soft lips pressed lightly to his- a gentle, chaste kiss, but it left him dazed, speechless.

"Let's just call it a woman's intuition," she breathed. "Thank you for the stay; it was lovely... Adieu, Coyote... guard your home well." And with that, the creature padded off- leaving the old man sitting with his memories.

* * *

"If you'll wait here," the Frenchman said as he stood up, "I'll score us a little extra chocolate for the ride home."

The young knight's face softened a little as her boyfriend moved to leave. "You know where to find me."

"Heh, if you stay put..." he reminded as he waded through the human river. "...It's a jungle in here."

He didn't have to tell her twice, but Integra held her tongue and sat back. There was quite a bit of time before departure and even though she couldn't tell where she was for the moment, her vampire companion was backing her like a shadow.

"Friend of yours?" an unfamiliar voice asked, almost too quiet for the knight to pick up... almost.

A wall of tan coat overtook Integra's vision as she looked to her right for the voice's source. She followed the coat up and found the face of imposing looking man in his sixties. His most distinguishing feature was a black eye patch concealing his right eye.

"I'm not sure if that's any of your business," Integra answered in a tone more neutral than people usually used to speak such words. "I won't stop you if you want a seat though."

"Well, I'm glad to see the youth here aren't as spoiled as on the other side of the Atlantic," the one-eyed man replied as he took a seat next to the young knight. "Don't worry, I won't be here long. If that kid's here, I can't imagine I'll be waiting much."

One of Integra's eyebrows arched upwards. "You know Pip?"

The old man smirked. "I'm not sure if that's any of your business." Despite the choice of words, his tone sounded somewhat friendly.

"He did say his stepfather was supposed to meet someone here." The young knight replied, at first more to herself than the man sitting beside her. "You wouldn't happen to be 'Uncle Jack' would you?"

"I've been 'Uncle Jack' since they named me his godfather," he brought a black-gloved hand up to massage his right temple. "...though I've had a handful with my own sons already."

"Let me guess, a bunch of deadbeats, living in your basement and trying to start a band in your garage?" Integra half-joked.

"No, no, nothing like that..." 'Jack' replied sounding a little amused by the idea. "They're actually clones of me made, by my old C.O., to keep my legacy going as part of some messianic cult of personality he built around me."

Integra managed to reduce any potential chuckles to a smirk. "Well, if you're going to be like that, I suppose it wasn't my place to pry. How do you know the Bernadettes though?"

"Oh, we go a long way back." The man lazily draped an arm over an empty neighboring seat. "I traveled around with his father for a couple years back in the 60's, and his grandfather was a friend of my... 'mentor' during the Second World War." He seemed to trail off, about to get lost in thought before continuing, "and his stepfather is..."

"...his favorite gunsmith!" concluded a more familiar voice. Both the knight and the trench coated man turned their attention to Jean Michelle and a returning Pip. All three men smiled broadly.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Jack responded as he rose from his seat and shook hands with Pip's stepfather.

"Washington treating you alright?" Jean asked. "A lot of my other clients say you guys have eyes all over South Africa."

Jack smirked. "More than you think. It's hard to look away when you've got an enclave state with nukes on the most politically unstable continent in the world."

"So what?" Pip shrugged off the grim expression. "I can't see any of that stopping you from busting heads, Uncle Jack."

The old man's smile grew warmer as he ruffled the boy's hair. "I'm glad for the vote of confidence, but I'd rather try to give them as few reasons to launch as possible."

"A land where soldiers control their own destinies..." Jean smirked. "...can't do that if every country around them airmails a few nukes back."

"That's MAD for you..." Jack shook his head before checking his watch. "Look, we can talk about this on the plane, and it looks like your boy and his lady friend have a plane to catch too."

"Aw," Pip cut in. "Leaving already? I was looking forward to catching up."

"Well, the next time you need a vacation, Galzburg is underrated." a knowing smile replaced a more general one "And it's practically next door to my little...'summer home'."

"I'll remember that."

The old man nodded and reached into his heavy coat. He was caught by surprise, however, when the object he was apparently looking for fell from his pocket. Integra helpfully reached over to grab it before noticing it was a rather fine looking Cuban cigar.

"You know what? Keep it," Jack offered.

"I'm sorry?" Integra asked. He couldn't possibly have offered a cigar to a fifteen year old. Even in France the legal age for smoking was sixteen, though maybe she just looked a bit older than she was?

"I've got a whole box on my plane," the old man reasoned. "In case you need a little stress relief, it's all yours."

Integra frowned. "Besides the fact that I'm not the proper age, if I wanted to kill myself, I'd skip burning my own lungs and just take a gun to my head."

"...Then do it in moderation," he explained as if it were the most obvious solution in the world. "Don't let zero become one-hundred."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean..." he looked like he had just caught himself slip something he didn't want others to hear. "...limit what you take in. Have only one a day, two, or even three, but never push it beyond your own self-imposed limits. That's when you'll regret it." Integra wanted to ask more, but by then he had turned back to Phillipe. "Come on, Outer Heaven won't wait."

"Hey, you're the big boss."

With that, the two adults departed, leaving Pip with a box of chocolates and Integra with a thick bundle of tobacco leaves.

* * *

**Epilogue:**

The teens trip home proceeded without incident, and soon they each found themselves slipping back into familiar patterns and schedules. School life continued much as it had been- with Integra struggling to maintain her B+ average and always having to stay one creative punishment ahead of her 'pet's' mischievous indulgences... all the while attempting to squeeze in a meager social life and sometime with her boyfriend.

So things continued from Spring into Summer- when it came time for the small group of teens to bid each other farewell until the next school year. Integra returned home with her pet and felt a certain sense of relief to again see him in his 'regular' form each day. It made... whatever was going on between them seem slightly more normal- she'd been getting rather tired of having to deal with him almost constantly running around in a white skirt and pillbox hat.

He also seemed to give her more space while they were home. He still hung around her and pestered her of course, but he dropped most of the suggestive innuendo and double entendres. The young knight suspected this might've been do to the fact that, now that she was no longer hanging around her boyfriend, her pet felt less threatened and was consequently willing to back off somewhat and give her more time to sort through her feelings. However, she also wondered if Walter's presence made some difference. Integra doubted that her butler could actually pose a significant threat to her pet. But the two did have a certain comradeship, and perhaps Alucard didn't want to test the boundaries of that by causing the old man to worry that his young charge was jumping into bed (or coffin) with her pet vampire. Either way, Integra was glad for the reprieve- she reflected that things had started to get a little... carried away between her and her servant.

When the time eventually rolled around for Integra... and her pet to return to school, they found it much changed. Sure, the buildings were all the same- minus a fresh cote of paint. But the French foreign exchange student didn't return with the rest. Pip's family had fallen on hard times, and the young merc had been forced to cut his schooling short and go into the family business.

Integra would not see her one time boyfriend again until many years later- when her own soldiers were decimated in a surprise attack, forcing her to 'out source' jobs to private 'entrepreneurs'; and she remembered her old boyfriend's family business. Even then, she discovered that her teenage feelings had changed over the years, and although her memories of 'school-boy' Pip still held a special soft spot in her heart, it was obvious to her that she was no longer in love with him.

Things still worked out for Pip though. Shortly after joining Hellsing, he found a true, lasting love in the last place he'd have ever suspected- the undead fledgling of his former rival for the lady knight's affection.

Things had also changed for 'Alison'. She returned to school to find that her geeky 'boyfriend's' more confident demeanor had attracted a genuine girlfriend back in the boy's hometown. For a short time- approximately 4.52 seconds -this knowledge had caused a slight resentful feeling to rise up in the vampire. But soon she repressed such unbecoming emotions. It wasn't like her and Steve had much of a future... and she reminded herself that the geek really wasn't important enough (in her eyes) to elicit such strong emotions anyway. Besides, with Pip gone, she no longer needed a partner to let her 'double' with her master.

Still, the vampire somewhat surprised herself by reminding her 'ex-boyfriend' that just because he was now in a committed relationship, it didn't mean that they couldn't still be friends. Steve had smiled at that, and the two eventually settled into a comfortable, friendly, sometimes playfully flirtatious- but always merely platonic -relationship. And Alison discovered that despite Steve outliving his main use, she really did enjoy his company... on occasion. She was rather startled when she consciously came to this conclusion- Vlad had never before even considered the possibility of befriending a 'geek'.

Steve's life continued running fairly smoothly... although occasionally his raven-haired friend would end up dragging him on another adventure that made the geeky teen nearly wet himself... multiple times. But Alison always ensured that he made it out alive. And before Steve went off to college, his ex-girlfriend even presented him with her cat- an animal which she strongly hinted was much more than it seemed and would continue watching over him... just as long as he kept the creature well fed with plenty of 'live prey'. Steve, although somewhat surprised by the gesture, found his voice to thank the strange girl- who never technically admitted what the cat really was, though Steve got the idea all the same.

Integra kept a figurative eye on future developments regarding Steve. For one thing she wanted to insure that her pet's parting gift didn't end up eating the poor geek. But there was also another reason for the lady knight's interest. Anyone who was able to cobble together a flaming sword out of random items in a gardener's shed could prove very useful to her in the future. And Integra's time was not wasted. Steve proved to be a near prodigy when it came to engineering; and, the day following his college graduation, he was offered a rather cushy job building highly customized weapons for a top secret military organization- one charged with exterminating vampires, zombies and other things that go bump in the night.

* * *

Well, I hope you guys and gals all enjoyed the chapter and liked the way things turned out for everyone. Please leave a review and let us know what you thought. Thanks. :)

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid, Ladykirie and Crow T R0bot.

To Black rose: Thanks for the review. I'm sorry that you were starting to lose interest in this fic, but I'm glad the last chapter rekindled the 'fire'. :) I hope that fire continued burring brightly enough to hold your interest over the long wait for this last chapter. And I also hope you liked the way everything turned out in the end. ;)

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.


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